Play Date

A couple weeks ago our good friends Barbara and Chris brought over their son Ian to play with Hayden and we all hung out and enjoyed the beautiful weather on the back porch.  I got the brilliant idea of entertaining the munchkins with bubbles while Chris (Lair) manned the camera.

All went beautifully...

...for awhile.  Hayden was thoroughly entertained, and Chris got some amazing pictures, but Ian was not so impressed with the bubbles... At least not when Miss Bonnie blew a bunch that the breeze carried right over into his little face.  Let's just say the fun got a bit overwhelming...

...and I've never felt like a bigger heel, making that sweet little boy cry.

But, all was soon forgiven.  We took the crazieness and festivities down a notch and headed inside to dig through Hayden's mountainous tub of toys, which both Ian and Hayden heartily approved of.

Hayden shows off her mad doodling skillz while Ian sports his bag mamma-jamma earthworm scarf (that his mommy made for him, from scratch!)

Pretty good fun for a lazy Monday holiday afternoon.

MIA

So, I know I've been a little absentee lately, but let me explain...

First, daylight savings hit.  Then, it got warm.  Then, my husband rented a bobcat. And, weeks later, I'm still trying to figure out what the hell happened to our yard.

But, good news, we have the beginnings of grass! In the right places! And a flower garden!  And about a dozen other projects we will finish in the next 5 years or so....

Today, though, is Friday.  A day of rest.  Or of anticipating rest.  Or at least of being done with this long freaking work week.

So, some amusements for you on this Friday.

I have, as I mentioned, gotten back into crocheting recently, and have been having so much fun finding new projects and patterns (also something I've used my time for rather than posting... sorry, attention span of a gnat here.).   One of the new things I want to try is some Amigurumi, which is a japanese word for the little teeny crocheted toys and animals that are too cute for words.  I have been shopping for patterns and found some amazing ones from a lady in Germany, who in her words, has been bitten by the Amigurumi bug:

"The Amigurumi fever does not let go me also after 2 years.  New occurs constantly to me. I move the most great ideas and issue them here in the shop."

Don't get me wrong. I'm not making fun of her. I highly commend anyone who can use multiple languages.  It's a great skill to have, and one I am adament Hayden will learn.

Having studied German myself, Jana's writing (the Amigurumi-fever-clutched woman) is amusing because I can almost see the translation coming from her end.  Our two languages are structured so differently, it's difficult to make an intelligible translation.  So, I'm sure that I sounded to my German friends much like this when I lived over there (describing a kitty cat pattern):

"The sweet small Fianna brings joy and life in every home. Everybody loves her because she looks with her sweet eyes so nicely. Her irresistible charm wraps everybody around the small finger.

And now everybody can crochet to themselves his own small cat itself!"

Or maybe something like this, describing a pattern for two cows:

" For all cow fans and those who still want to become it: the new crochet instructions for the sweet little cows Alma & Berta are finally ready.   Grow your own farm !!!"

Or perhaps I would have described these sheep like this:

"These both sweet sheep conquer every heart in the storm. Whether black or white, with their special charm they are a great small present to Easter…or also to any other occasion !!  This pattern fits very well to the pattern “Little horses” and “Little cows”!!"

Mostly, though, I probably just sounded like this:

"Ich habe viele, viele Hahnchen in meinem Auto!" 
(I have many, many chickens in my car)

Don't ask.

Have a great weekend!

Some miscellaneous thoughts from this morning

1. This is my 200th blog post.  I feel like it should be something profound, but honestly, I lack the energy.   Whoot!   There you go.  A wee bit o' celebration to kick it off.
2. I'm out of deodorant.  I started to look for an extra, and then I remembered I only buy extras for Chris.  I swear the man eats the stuff.  I have to buy 2-3 at a time.  Almost every other shopping trip.   I have this nagging little fear that one day, wandering around in the depths of our basement, I'm going to unearth his true life's work - a full-sized, shower-fresh sculpture of Henry Ford.  Or something equally disturbing.  One thing I have to give him credit for - if you EVER, EVER smell something the least bit unpleasant in his vicinity, I can GUARANTEE you that it's not him.  Sometimes he puts more on before he comes to bed at night.  I think he does that just for the repellant effect, though.  I can't stand to cuddle with an armpit full of chemically concocted "Morning Fresh" man. Ugh.  It's his way of making sure he's got plenty of room to sleep on his side of the bed without getting crowded out, is my theory.  Anyway, my point of this story was that I need to get some deodorant next time I got to the store.
3. There's no spell check on this new blog editor.  Unless they have sneakily inserted it where only those smart enough (surely) to spell their words correctly would be able to locate it.  Therefore, I can accept no responsibility for misspelled words at this time.  I love you all, but not enough to get out my dictionary and double-check.  You will all have discovered that I am not the perfect speller you have come to know and love, and I will be forever ruined.  Or not.  Moving on...
4. While, at our house, we love and respect the "Baby Einstein" videos for their toddler-entrancing powers, I do have a beef with the new one we got  - "Baby's First Moves".  I usually put these videos on while Hayden is eating her breakfast and I'm scrambling to get ready - this cuts my interruptions down to only about 20 a minute, and I make a little progress here and there between the need for me to hold her newfound treasures - a sock, my shoe, my other shoe, that teeny piece of dirt that was on the floor, bunny bear, a coat hanger, a dirty diaper, a clean diaper, a soggy cheerio she just coughed up, another soggy cheerio, a dirty tissue, the hairbow I just put in her hair, the other hairbow I just put in her hair, her paci, a book (a book I need to read RIGHT NOW), and so on and so forth.  So this new video is great, and gets her moving along with the video - "where's your nose? Touch your nose!", "clap!", "roll over!", "peek-a-boo!","sit up!", "jump!", "KICK!".... Kick?!?!  What the?  What the crap do you expect my child to kick?  While watching a video?  In the house?  In a room with lots of breakable items?  Why? Why? Why would you... why?   Just why?  I could go along with all the other activities - no props required, no real worries of damage or destruction, to the child or their surroundings, and here you freaking Disney nuts go and insert "Kick!" in your little video, showing this exhuberant (see, thanks to Blogger, I have no idea if I spelled that word right! Point proven!) young boy kicking a huge bouncy ball in an EMPTY studio set.  After you've just convinced my child to clap and roll and sit and jump along with you, you tell her to KICK something.  FYI, Disney.   We weren't prepared.  We didn't have a BALL ready.  We weren't adequately prepped for this part of the video.  So you know what my wonderful 16 month old (brilliant kid by the way) decided to do? Improvise!  Lovely! I am so proud that she put two and two together and figured since she couldn't kick  a ball she'd have to find something else.  I just wish it hadn't been her toy keyboard.  Or anything, for that matter.  We already struggle with the 'dropping/throwing things for fun' game, and now, with your encouragement, we've learned a new variation - the kicking the crap out of things for fun game. :) Joy.
5. Do I need a 5th thought this morning?  I feel as if I've been sufficiently witty, sarcastic and bitter to get me through the whole day.  Maybe I can end on a sweeter note.  Actually, I do have a good thought to end on.  When Hayden and I got to school, I got her out of her seat and was preparing to set her down to walk her in (she walks into school now! On her own two little legs! It kills me a little everytime.  Too FAST, she's growing up too fast!), she decided it was a good moment for a hug.  So she leaned in and wrapped her tiny arms around my shoulders, rested her head on my chest, just right where I could bury my face in her sweet hair and take in her perfect smell. She was in no hurry to dash off my lap and run in, so I just sat, as long as she was willing, and held her close and soaked in the precious moment.  I try to do that - take the time, when she decides it's time - to hold her close and love her and enjoy her, because I know that all too soon, those moments will become fewer and farther between and I'll wish for them in earnest.  So there we sat in the parking lot, hugging one another and resting our heads together, enjoying that tender moment.   And then, before I knew it, we were off again!

Passing the time...

On our vacation last week, Carrie convinced me to start a new project with her (ok, I kind of just elbowed in or her project, same diff) instead of going cross-eyed reading old rags, and last night, I FINALLY finished it! Voila! Here is my new boardwalk tote!

Thanks to Carrie, who got me back into the crocheting groove...I spent my whole lunch hour looking up new patterns to start! Now, I just have to find the time to do them!  Ahh, the best-laid plans.  For now, I'm going to enjoy this one shining example of my success (and my HUGE bag... this thing could carry Hayden if it were strong enough. Seriously.  Hard to tell from the picture, but it is ginormous!).

A Horse is a Horse

Unless the horse is one of the famous Budweiser Clydesdales!

My little brother, Dan, is part of the team responsible for hosting these beautiful animals during their stay in Atlanta this week.  That's his JOB.  What he gets PAID to do!  How freaking cool is that?!

The horses are one of the company's famous teams, and are making a week-long tour of the city to do awesome things like meeting the Mayor and participating in the city's St. Patty's Day parade, and Dan gets to go along for the ride, and make sure the horses and their entourage and equipment are all taken care of.

Just another day at the office for him, I guess.

Move Over, Beethoven!

I think we have a new prodigy in the house!

Although the jury's still out on whether she is more raw talent or hammy entertainer.  

Personally, I think I see some of both.

Amagarumi

For those of you who don't know, Amagarumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and anthropomorphic creatures.  In other words, it is using some mad skillz to craft these itsy-witzy fuzzy-wuzzy cutie wittle flufalumps that make you wish you were 3 again and could carry them around in your 'purse' (which is actually a left-over McDonald's Happy Meal box) everywhere you go.

Thankfully for me, I have an uber-talented friend, Carrie, who has the patience and talent to make these crazy-amazing little suckers, and I have a daughter who I can let play with them (until she goes to bed. Then they're mine... all MINE!), so my cover is not blown.  Except for having to explain all the empty Happy Meal boxes in my closet....

Anyway... Long story short, Carrie is how we came to be acquainted with our new little buddy, Sammy the Baby Seal.

Sammy is a sweet little baby seal, complete with festive Winter scarf, who became Hayden's new friend a few weeks ago.    I am equally enamored with his sweet little self, but really, how could you not be?  Just look at this little fella!

He's watching for signs of snow...

That's the one thing this little bugger and I disagree on.  He'd love Winter year round, but I'm ready for SPRING!

Other than that, we get along fine, and Hayden doesn't even hold that against him (although judging from her response to the park this past weekend on the warm Sunday afternoon we were blessed with, it could become a sticking point in their relationship).

What can I say?

The kid loves yogurt!

(and feeding herself.)

Happy Friday, everyone!

By Product...

... of a diseased computer + the resulting inactivity as I waited for our IT team to "make it all better" (+ my love of screwing with people.)

The Definition of Masochism

In a strictly food-related sense, that is.

I am two weeks and 8.6 lbs (GO, me!) into a (I won't call it a diet. Let's just say "New approach to eating") thing, and I have requested that my good buddy Jason, whom I have convinced "owes me one" to get up at the crack of dawn, go 15 minutes out of his way to stop by the Dutch Monkey to get me half a dozen French Crullers because I have given up on the hope of them ever serving them on a weekend when I could actually stop by  myself.

Maybe I'm a little sadistic, too, since I'm employing Jason in this plot, and the rest of my company who's joined with me in a "Biggest Loser" style competition, but let's face it.  This is my blog.  Over here, at least, it's all about me.

I am determined not to derail my progress with these fantastic feats of pastry goodness (which is why I wanted six. Just for me.  All MINE.), but I may crumble under the cinnamon-y, sugary, fluffy, tender, sweet, decadent, luscious, moist, wonderful, angelic... excuse me, I need to go get a bib to contain the drool.

Okay.  All better.  Now, where was I?  Oh yeah. I might break tomorrow when he comes toting in that box of sinful yumminess, and who will I have to blame?  Myself, only.  And maybe my other co-worker Frank, who introduced us all to this heavenly (and fantastically trendy) hole-in-the-wall bakery.

Actually, I am getting the six to share with my husband, daughter, mother in law, and to eat myself over the next couple days.  I am concentrating very hard to not build this special treat up too high so that all I can see, think, or taste are doughnuts.  I think I'm doing pretty well so far.

Hunger Pains

You know in the cartoons, when they were in the dead of winter and two characters were starving to death, one would eventually start to picture the other one as a gigantic, talking roast turkey leg, or a steaming pork chop?

Well, last night as I was changing into my pajamas, Chris walked in the closet with Hayden, and I swear they were both giving me the same exact look. I think Hayden was even drooling a little, but that kind of comes with the territory when you're her age.

It was a little disconcerting, to say the least.

The Key to a Happy Marriage

Last night, as I was getting ready to go to the grocery store, I called Chris to see if he needed anything. He had a couple staples to add to the list, and as we were getting ready to hang up, he threw in, "oh yeah, get me some raw peanuts. You know, those ones that I like."


"Oh yeah. of course I know, those ones." What I know is, if I had sent my loving husband to the store with that same set of instructions, it would have been hours before I'd seen him again. He'd have been lost in the aisles for hours, randomly picking up anything that looked like peanuts, and calling me at least a half dozen times for more specific information.

"What's the name of them?", "What does the bag/box look like?", "Where are they in the store? What aisle?", "Are the on the left or right side? Top or bottom?" Oh, and heaven forbid I tell him to ask a store employee. AAACCCKK! That lands right up there with stopping to ask directions. Speaking to another human. Especially one getting paid to help you. Just can't do it. Not in his programming.

I pointed this out to him last night after his "those ones that I like" comment, and he admitted I was right. I noted that I remembered exactly which "those ones" were, where they were, and would be home with them shortly, and probably wouldn't even get a thank you as he tore into them for all my heroics.

"Well, here's your thank you in advance, then, since you're probably right about that too."

You know, Chris will laugh at the fact that I texted him our complete dinner order (with notes about condiments for each - including his, and drink reminders) after we've just hung up the phone going over the same information. He laughs that I'm that particular, and I laugh about the fact that I secretly know he'll flip open his phone to read the order when he pulls up at the drive-thru, because otherwise, I might not get my barbeque sauce. And we know how I get about my barbeque sauce. (Well, you may not, but let's just say there was a certain incident when I was pregnant regarding some barbeque sauce, and I was perhaps not the most reasonable human in the world at that time, and we'll just say that Chris rarely forgets barbeque sauce now, God bless him).

You see, that's why our marriage works so well. We know exactly what to expect out of the other and are willing to meet them there, instead of trying to get them to become our envisioned versions of them. We also know how to laugh at ourselves and each other. Really, we've got a good gig going over here.

Happy early Valentine's Day, Hon. Enjoy the peanuts!

Dutch Monkey

Yesterday morning, we woke up (way too early for what was supposed to be a lazy Sunday morning) (and yes, we were being heathens; we should have been headed to church, but instead we were on a mission. A mission to find the most amazing doughnuts in the world. Well, at least within an hour drive. We have our limits on an early Sunday morning. Especially after a way-too-late Saturday night. I'm not naming names, but that sleep loss could have been prevented, boys.) and met our friends Carrie and Joel (did you find the original start of this sentance after all those parenthetical comments? Good for you! You could probably keep up with me through most of my rambling real-time conversations. Otherwise, oh, look! A chicken!) and decided to head to the Cumming-ish area to find a particular doughnut-making legend,the Dutch Monkey. And find it we did.

Oh man, this is the coolest doughnut shop you've ever seen. Started by two amazing chefs, this place is hip, fun, and all about the food! With a huge glass display case that displays their fine wares, you can drool over their exotic creations such as "pineapple coconut lime cake", or "lemon meringue" (complete with toasted meringue atop the generous portion). There is a Boston Cream donut, a blueberry with cream cheese frosting (yum!), French Crullers that will make you cry "uncle" (which they didn't have yesterday morning. Boo.), Pomogranate Iced, and even a Maple Butter Bacon, fried with a delicious strip of bacon around it. Oh, and of course, their signature doughnut was the "Dutch Monkey" a banana-jam filled doughnut drizzled with chocolate icing.

We went, we saw, we stuffed ourselves silly. They should have big canteens of milk at each table to help you wash down all the gooey, wonderful sweetness. Hayden loved the bright colors of the place, the kiddie table, especially, watching them make the doughnuts through the Willy-Wonka-ish viewing ports along the kitchn, and most of all, enjoyed her first tastes of a real doughnut!

When we were thoroughly sated, we sat and talked and enjoyed each other's company as we plotted our next visit and choices for the next time. Maybe once a quarter would be enough to visit, we thougth. Otherwise, this place could do some serious damage to our waistlines. Well, maybe once a month, if we promised to be good, and only get one. (We each had to try two this time, just to check out as many flavors as possible). We let Hayden explore the kiddie area a bit, and she even met some of the other kids, including another Hayden, who was about 8 years old and was just thrilled to meet another girl named Hayden (they're apparently somewhat of a rare breed, we're finding).

What a great way to spend a lazy morning. Out with some of our best friends, eating doughnuts that rightly should be described as 'decadent pastries', and playing and laughing with Hayden. Of course, my absolute favorite part of the morning was getting to watch Joel's expressions at he ate. That man knows how to appreciate a good meal!

If you're ever in Cumming, may I highly recommend a stop in to the soon-t0-be-famous Dutch Monkey (and, in full disclosure, no this isn't a paid endorsement. I'm pretty sure these folks don't even know I exist. I just love a good doughnut!)

He comes by it honestly

Today at lunch, I ran my mother-in-law on some errands, which included a trip to the local bank to process some paperwork and make a deposit. As we were waiting at the customer service desk, she decided to go ahead and fill out the deposit slip, and asked me to pass her one of the pens from the cup nearby. I complied, and commented that she was in fact already holding a pen. With a wave of her hand, she dismissed this, saying that her pen wasn't any good and she didn't like it. No worries, I told her, that's why they have this whole cup full of pens sitting right there. As she filled out the slip, she mentioned that the bank's pen "really writes good", and said she thought she'd keep it. I told her I was sure that was fine, since they typically put them out for customers to use and/or keep, you know, which is why they put their logo on it and all. Still, she was a bit surreptitious as she slipped the new found wonder into her handbag.

This cracked me up because of the number of pens we have carried home from dinner because inevitably whenever Chris is signing the receipt at dinner, he comments on how well the pen writes. It was an all-too familiar circumstance, but thankfully, I wasn't the one tucking the pilfered item into my bag today. Interestingly enough, Chris discovered later when using one of the 'borrowed' pens at work that the wonderful flow of the ink was due in fact to the lovely padded writing surface on most of the receipt trays, and not a virtue of the pen itself.

It was just amusing to learn after all these years that my dear husband's propensity for lifting well-writing pens was in fact a genetic trait, and makes me wonder if our daughter has inherited the same. I suppose only time will tell. For now, just keep an eye on your pens if a Padgett's around.

Singing Valentines

Hey guys (and gals!),

Want to really WOW your favorite someone this Valentine's Day? Order a singing Valentine!! It's better than a box of Chocolates, and the memory will outlast any roses!!! Four gentlemen dressed in tuxedos will sing to your sweetheart at home, at work, at school, at a restaurant, or the location of your choice, or by phone anywhere in the continental U.S.

This is an annual event sponsored by the Big Chicken Barbershop Chorus, and is a fabulous treat! My dad's quartet - Martha's Finest always participate, and won't disappoint!

If you're interested in learning more, view the online order form here.

(Tim, Dad, Danny and Tony)

Looking back, I should have known better

I really should have. Somewhere along the way, though, my desire for a decadent, chocolate-y treat overwhelmed my rational senses and assured me that yes, you can just "microwave and enjoy". That should have been my first clue. Instead, hell-bent on a scrumptious, swift snack, I blew right past the key point of this new recipe - the fact that it tells you how to make a CAKE in a CUP in the MICROWAVE.

I am referring to the now infamous "Most Dangerous Cake Recipe In The World", which I received via email earlier this year. Complete with pictures touting its ooey goodness, I kept the email for future reference, and recently unearthed it while cleaning out my inbox. Short on time, but yearning for some chocolate relief, I printed it out and headed home.

"You're never more than 5 minutes away from a fresh, warm chocolate cake" the email taunted, making this recipe the "Most Dangerous" one in the world. If only I had known that the danger lurked not in the ready availability of cake from here on out, but to the lump of steaming lava the recipe produced, I may not have proceeded forward so carelessly.

After mixing the ingredients as instructed, I sat my cup in the microwave and waited for the magic to unfold. Set the timer to three minutes and anxiously danced in front of the door as the mug slowly made its rounds inside the nuker.

Upon opening the door, I (carefully, with gloves) snatched my steaming mug out of the microwave and inspected the results.

Hmm... not a prize-winning cake by any means, but it was made in a mug! in a microwave, for goodness sakes! Do you want deliciousness or attractiveness?! (DELICIOUSNESS!) You can't get it all in a 3 minute recipe, folks! No need to be picky! So, I carefully ran my knife along the edges and turned out my spoils onto my plate.

Well, from the looks of it, spoils might not have been such a bad choice of words. It seems as if the optional chocolate chips all decided to migrate towards the bottom of the mug, and OH MY! What is that smell?!?

Well, I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that may be the stench of burnt semi-sweet chocolate chips which has wafted up from my decadent creation and permanently lodged itself in my nose. Yum-O.

The smell almost prevented me from even trying a bite of this 'dessert', but I braved a taste from the top side. A mistake that I lived to regret. The consistency was that of play-dough that had been left out most of the afternoon, then heated for 3 minutes in the microwave with some questionable chocolate chips. The taste was bland, at best, but I couldn't get over the scorched chips or chewy texture.

I may, however, have my standards set a little high. Chris came by, surveyed the wreckage, and proclaimed that it "looked pretty good", and I didn't even have to pin him down to get him to try a bite, after which he concluded that "it was pretty okay. Kind of like a box cake mix, but not bad. Could use some icing." Yep, icing. That's what this cake needs.

Have any of you succumbed to the siren's call of a similar dessert short cut? If so, how did you fare? Surely I'm not the only one to try and fail as a short-order (micro) chef.

Not Me! Monday

This weekend we celebrated Chris's birthday, and it was certainly not the first time I've thrown him a party since we've been married. We invited all his friends, and we all had an absolute blast!

I would love to share some pictures of the festivities, but I absolutely was not the one who made a big to-do about getting the cameras ready and then totally forgot to snap the first picture! Nope, not me!

We had some delightful goodies, snacks and other bite sized creations, and I had all my own unique and wonderful recipes. I most certainly did not snag two of my mom's annual crowd-pleasing concoctions, and wouldn't even think about ripping off my sis's new winner - fried ravioli and marinara sauce! Yum! That wasn't me, either!

Hayden of course entertained everyone with her laughing, crawling, clapping, "i love you this much"-ing antics. I held her and watched after her the whole time. I certainly did not pawn her off on her MeMa and Poppie the second they arrived. I really am am such a good mother - I had her to bed very early, too. I of course didn't let her stay up until the party wrapped at 12:30... Not ME!

Yesterday, you know we jumped right up at the crack of dawn and began cleaning up. I most certainly did not stay in bed napping with Hayden until after noon - Not me! I didn't leave a pot full of overbaked cheese dip sitting on the counter, even today as I headed off to work, to clean up "at a later point." I put the house immediately back to order, and wouldn't dream of leaving it set up in party mode for the get-together I'm having this weekend. I am such a good little housewife!

Last night, as Chris and I ate dinner (at the dining room table, like civilized adults, and not curled up in the den), I certainly didn't let Hayden snack on cracker crumbs left over from the party, because of course those were all cleaned up already, and I wouldn't want her eating off the floor - even if it meant a few short minutes of quiet between the crabby wailing of a teething baby. Nope, it wasn't me!

Happy Not Me! Monday, everyone! Enjoy your imperfections and shortcomings like the rest of us, and link your stories here!

For those of you who need a laugh as much as I do

Please head on over here to see some fabulously flopped attempts at some Thanksgiving cakes. This blog, Cake Wrecks, is one of my all time favorites, and a frequent break from reality where I go to see the work of professional bakers who also seem to have taken a break from reality - while working on these cakes.

As a cake decorator, I can appreciate the challenge that some people's requests present, but these decorators aren't even giving themselves a fighting chance. Most of the cakes on this blog look like they were done sometime around the drug-fueled Woodstock era, or alternately by the folks who didn't win on "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?"

Either way, it offers some wonderful entertainment for me and her many other readers, and I hope that it will bring a smile to your face today.

Happy wrecked Turkey Day!

Because I have no shame

So, I've been saving this one for a week or two. Since I'm in a pretty good mood today, the sun is shining, my husband's home from his business trip and all is right with the world, I figure we're ripe for a little public humiliation. Why not?

The other morning, after Chris had left for work, I left Hayden in her playpen with a variety of toys to amuse herself so I could grab a quick shower. When I looked in at her just before hopping in, she was happily reading her books and babbling to herself.

I was thoroughly suds-ed up and singing a happy little ditty (something about the itsy bitsy spider, I think) to let Hayden know I was nearby and, let's face it, because I can rock me some nursery rhymes! All of a sudden - DING-DONG!. I froze, soap running down my face. Who on earth could that be at this hour? It's not Saturday, so it's not the Jehovah's Witnesses. It's not Monday, so it's not the Garbage man coming to gripe at me for not putting out my recycling bin for the 3rd week in a row. Chris has a key, as do my inlaws. Someone must be lost!

Then again, DING-DONG! Shoot! They're not going away. Stay cool - they'll get the hint, I think. Of course, "staying cool" is much easier said than done when you're naked, coverd in soap, and home alone with a baby.

As I'm doing my best to rinse off and finish up, I hear it again, more urgently - DING-DONG! DING-DONG! DING-DONG! DING-DONG! Crap! Maybe it is my inlaws, and they can't find their key. Or one of them is hurt, or something happened to Chris on the way to... crap! I think all of this as I snatch my towel off the hook, rub the soap out of my eyes and go running (which, in a tile and granite bathroom is quite a dangerous proposition while soaking wet, by the way) out of the bathroom, skidding through the bedroom as I try to position the towel to cover all the 'essentials', and as I'm dashing to the hallway to peek at the front door, the bell calls out again DING-DONG! DING-DONG!

And it is then, in that precise moment that I hear the doorbell coming from behind me, from my BEDROOM, where my daughter is PLAYING with her TOYS in her playpen, that I recall the interesting little fact that we didn't install a doorbell at this house. Why? Lots of various reasons, none of which are as important as the fact that one of the toys I'd handed Hayden was a set of car keys and key fob. A key fob that plays a variety of noises when the buttons are pushed. Including a doorbell sound.

As I turned around and dripped my way back to the bedroom, I saw Hayden, grinning and bouncing, waving her key fob around wildly, blowing raspberries and giggling at me as if to say, "good one, mom."

My new love...

These cookies are unreal good. I mean unreal CRAZY good! It's really my boss and friend Jeff's fault that I am in love with these. He bought me a couple boxes of what he called "Crazy-good Costco Cookies" for my birthday, and they were. They were crazy-good. Especially the white chocolate macadamia and cashew cookies. He had me so addicted to these things I nearly did backflips when he brought some in Rhonda's birthday the other week.

Once those ran out, I had no choice but to go out in search of my own recipe for the delicious treats. I scoured the web, and found many different varieties of White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies, but none that suited me just exactly. So I took what sounded good from all of those, added it together and tossed in some cashews, and I believe it is safe to say that I now hold the recipe for the very best cookies I have ever had in my life (and believe me, this mama likes her cookies)! In fact, the batter is so freaking amazing, it's all I can do to stay out of it long enough to bake the things. I swear, I must've eaten 3 cookie's worth in batter this weekend when I made them (say eww all you want, but I double dog dare you to make them and leave the batter alone)!

So, since I am not a stingy person, and am also not a person with a lot of time to bake extra cookies to send around to all my friends, I would like to share at least my Golden Recipe with you. Consider it an early Christmas present. Or just a Christmas present. Or the only thing you should expect from me this year. It's the thought that counts, right? Seriously, bake these things and you'll be buying me presents (I wear an 8 1/2 shoe, love the color red, handbags, and anything sparkly)!!

Bonnie's Soon To Be World Famous Crazy-Good White Chocolate Chip Macadamia and Cashew Cookies

Makes approx. 3 dozen cookies (if you use teaspoons. If you like to go CRAZY like me and use tablespoons, you can get about 30 cookies. I say, live on the edge. Use the big spoon!)

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (make sure you use LIGHT!)

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

2 1/2 cups AP flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 1/2 4 oz. bars Ghiradelli White Chocolate baking chocolate, broken into large pieces

3/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped into large chunks

1/2 cup cashews (unsalted or lightly salted), chopped or broken into large pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large bowl, beat butter, the sugars, vanilla and salt on high until creamy. Add eggs, beat just until blended. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking soda. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating on medium until well blended. Using a large spoon, carefully mix in chocolate and nuts until well incorporated. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls (or tablespoonfuls) onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes max, or until center is set (edges should be golden brown). Don't over bake cookies, to keep them soft and chewy. Cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet and place on wire rack to cool completely.

Store in airtight container for 4-5 days at room temperature. Although I'll bet they won't last nearly that long!

Try 'em! I hope you like them. And if you don't, you know where I live - just send 'em my way and I'll take care of disposing of them for you!