Triple Chip Cookies

Remember those triple-chip cookies I told you yesterday that I was going to bake? The ones with the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips in them? Well they turned out amazing. AMAZING. They are SO good--and they're absolutely my new favorite go-to recipe. Enough with the intro--I'm going to jump right into the recipe:

Ingredients: 

2 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour

1 tsp. Baking soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 cup of butter

3/4 cup of sugar

1 cup of brown sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups of white chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups of butterscotch chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt with a wire whisk and set aside.

Using a mixer, mix butter and both sugars for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.

Mix chips together in large bowl and stir into the cookie batter.

Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop cookies out onto baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes and cool on wire rack. Makes 5 dozen cookies. Enjoy!

How freakin cute is my new cookie jar?! Thanks Julie!

Bring on the Christmas Shopping!

I can't believe that its already halfway through August... next month I start Christmas shopping! I know you're probably thinking that I'm a crazy person--but I wasn't the one running around like a chicken with it's head cut off last December. Starting your Christmas shopping early is a great thing for two reasons: 1). You aren't stressed out shopping with the crowds and standing in crazy long lines on Christmas eve, and 2). You aren't strapped for cash at the end of the year. A lot of people take time off at the end of the year--so that they can sit around at home and do nothing because they're broke? Heck no! If you start shopping in September-ish, you can buy a couple presents with every paycheck.  You're never broke, you're never stressed, and if you're like me, you can be excited to have a ton of presents under your tree by the time you put it up.

This year, Joe and I decided that we are going to buy the kids each one big present and one present from Santa; between my parents, my sisters, my mother-in-law, my brother-in-law, and my sister-in-law, these kids get a TON of presents. The last thing they need is 30 different new toys that won't get played with. We decided that we are going to buy both of the kids their own tablet. I know what you're probably thinking: a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old with their own tablets?! I get it. BUT we've done our research. Apparently there are tablets out there that have some pretty cool features; you can set a time limit for games. Say I set it at 30 minutes for the day. Once they use those 30 minutes up, it won't let them play anymore. I won't have to be the bad guy at all! However, they can read on the tablet all day long if they'd like;  once their game limit runs out, they'll still want to play with their tablets, so they'll read! I plan on loading up their tablets with tons of fun books before Christmas morning so that when they open it up, they'll be able to just start using it right away. 

I can't wait for the next couple of months; I'll be kicking my baking into full-swing (I actually feel like baking today so I'm going to whip up some triple chocolate chip cookies that I'm pretty excited about--they call for chocolate chips, white chocolate chips,  and butterscotch chips--YUM!) ...if they turn out as delicious as I'm hoping they will, I'll post the recioe on here tomorrow :).

I'm off to go get ready so that I can run to the store to pick up the ingredients. Happy Wednesday everyone!

Sleep Training?!

Back when we lived in apartments (and even in our tiny condo), I would put the kids down for naps or bedtime with their bedroom door shut and a lullabye cd playing softly on repeat. Living in apartments, your space is limited; and with limited space, noise travels fast. I started the "closed door" rule for obvious reasons--so that it would block out whatever noise we were making. I noticed that that wasn't 100% working, so I started playing the lullabye cd on repeat so that there was some sort of constant noise in their room--so that if we laughed at a tv show or talked to eachother, it wouldn't startle the kids. 

Little did I know that having that music playing everytime they went to sleep would serve as the mother of all cues that it was time to go to sleep. Once they got used to it, as soon as I would turn that music on, they would fall right asleep. This turned into the most effective way to 1). get the kids to go to sleep, and 2). get them to stay asleep. I never had to try a "cry it out" method because this solved it for me.

And that brings us to now. Maverick is 4 1/2 years old and still naps and goes to bed with his music on. We are now in a big house so noise traveling doesn't seem to be an issue; he now sleeps with his door cracked instead of fully closed. He wants to sleep with it fully opened, but I don't know if I'm ready to do that yet. Madison still sleeps with her door closed because she would guaranteed leave her room if that door was open. Maverick, however, knows that bedtime is bedtime--and he won't leave his room. 

How do your kids sleep? Door opened? Cracked? Closed? I understand that this is totally not a big deal--I'm just curious to see how your guys' kids sleep. What methods, other than 'cry it out,' did you have success with? I have so many friends and family that are delivering their babies now and over the next couple of months--I'm sure this info could help them out! :)

Bad Mom?!

I am SO excited for my upcoming trip to Palm Springs this weekend with Joe. I can't believe that we have already been married for 5 years... I guess what they say is right: time flies when you're having fun! We're going to spend 3 days, just the two of us, relaxing by the pool and just enjoying each other's company.

But that brings me to a dilemma: I want to get a poll started. How many of you would say that I'm a bad mom because I go on vacations without my kids? I know there are some of you that may think that way--and I'm really curious as to why. I obviously know my reasons for vacationing without them: 

1. I'm with them 24/7--3 days away from them will not do ANY harm
2. Joe and I need "our" time to keep our relationship strong. We have a very strong marriage and I believe its because we haven't centered our relationship around the kids. 
3. It isn't that we don't like vacationing with them; we had an amazing time in Myrtle Beach last year with the kids--we're actually planning another vacation for sometime this year WITH the kids. Its that not everything is kid-friendly and they don't need to come on every single trip.

I know that as a parent, you may think that my life revolves around my kids--but it doesn't. I may be a mom--but I'm still a human being: I have hobbies that I like to do, movies that I want to see, and trips that I like to take. In a sense, my life revolves around the kids on a day-by-day basis.. that's my job. It doesn't mean that I have to do EVERY SINGLE THING with them for the next 18 years. My parents used to go on vacations without my sisters and I--and guess what? As a kid, I never felt left out or like they were bad parents. They will be celebrating their 29th wedding anniversary this coming October--so they must have done something right.

This blog isn't pointed at one specific person: I just know for a fact that there are people out there that feel differently than me. I really don't see their side of the fight, and I'm really curious as to what it is. All I know is that I can't wait for this weekend alone with Joe--and the kids are so excited to spend some time with grandma and grandpa. Without these trips, I would probably lose my mind. These trips keep me sane--and that's a good thing for all of us. So really--if you think I'm a bad mom because of this, comment here, send me an email, shoot me a text: I'd LOVE to hear your point of view on this :)

Best Birthday Ever!

The other night I had my 25th birthday, and to celebrate, we threw a big party! So many of my friends showed up and I had so much fun. I never drink, of course I ended up drinking way too much: and I definitely paid for it yesterday morning! Although I was out of commission for the day, I wouldn't have traded it for anything in the world. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the night--some are a little blurry--but you understand why, I'm sure ;)

I crack up every time I look at this picture--hahaha

Joe was like "holy crap, you guys look like sisters!" ...I told him we've gotten that our whole lives :)

Lmao--I love this face Kailey

I'm diggin the tan, Tim ;)

Haha, photo bomb :)

cuuuuute <3

hahaha

Yesterday morning when Joe and I were looking through the pictures, he was like "I was wondering why the bike was out!" haha

I LOVE this picture. Hahaha

Chubby bunnyyyyyy

Thanks for helping me blow out all of the candles in my house before I passed out :)

The aftermath: took a few hours to clean up, but I didn't mind one bit :)

haha, thanks for trying to clean up my kitchen before leaving, Kailey

...best birthday ever. Thanks to everyone who came out--we'll have to do this again!!

Who Says You Can't Make Your Own Birthday Cake?!

Happy birthday to me! Haha ;). So, who says you can't make your own birthday cake? No one else was gonna do it, and I like doing it, so why not?! I had fun yesterday making it :). Tonight I'm having a big party at my house (speaking of which--I need to head over to my neighbors house with a plate of cookies and apologize in advance for tonight's shenanigans). Now, I'm normally a very "quiet" person (okay, I know what you're thinking, but just listen)--in the sense that I would MUCH rather sit at home on a Friday night watching a movie in my sweatpants. HOWEVER, I figured I'd make an exception today. I mean, I am 25 today! On the menu for tonight's shenanigans? Lots and lots of beer. Its funny; I plan on drinking, but I most likely will drink about 1 beer--it always happens. Joe and I go somewhere; we plan ahead and take a taxi anticipating that we will both be too drunk to drive; then at the end of the night I'm completely sober but still have to take the taxi home because we don't have our car. Luckily the party is at my house tonight so I'll spare us the taxi cost ;). My morning has already started out amazing: Joe made all of us a special breakfast of eggs, toast, and BACON! Everyone should get bacon on their birthday! He also bought me a beautiful bouquet of roses, and the kids informed me that "we wont hit or bite each other today because its your birthday mom." Best. Birthday. Ever.

Funny story from when I was born: since I was born obviously 25 years ago and they didn't do lots of ultrasounds throughout a woman's pregnancy, my parents didn't know that I was going to be born with one (and a half!) arm. As soon as I came out, the doctor looked at my dad and whispered to not say a word to my mom, then they instantly knocked my mom out with drugs. Okay, so that's not so funny--I would be livid if my doctor did that to me! Once she came to and was able to comprehend everything, the doctors thought that she was crazy because her first reaction was "oh, she'll be just like Tigger!" (our cat that we had all through my childhood; she was missing part of her front right paw, just like I'm missing part of my right arm). My parents obviously didn't care, and here I am today: 25 years later.

I'll be celebrating my 5-year wedding anniversary next week, I own a beautiful house and two new cars, I have 2 beautiful kids, and I live an amazing life. These past 25 years have been such a fun roller coaster ride, and I can't wait to see what the next 25+ have in store for me! Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my life these past 25 years--I don't know where I'd be without you! Cheers! 

Here's the cake I made myself :). I thought about making it politically correct and writing "Happy Birthday Kristen!" ...but how weird would that be? This one fits me better ;)

Here's a side view of the cake :). I'll eat a piece for each and every one of you (maaaannn, I love cake!)... and then I'll complain on Facebook tomorrow about how I gained 10 pounds overnight. Yolo? 

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

Tomorrow is my 25th birthday, and to celebrate the occasion, I'm throwing myself a big party. No birthday candles or "Happy Birthday" song--I just want to spend my birthday hanging out with all of my friends! However, just because there won't be a birthday song doesn't mean there wont be a cake. Who has a birthday without a cake?! That'll be tomorrow's blog :).

Today I'm making all of the desserts for the party. Along with all of the pizza we're having, I'm making mint oreo truffles, chocolate chip cookies, and chocolate-dipped pretzels. I know you've all seen chocolate-dipped pretzels on Pinterest before--but you may not know how easy they actually are to make! These literally take about 20 minutes start-to-finish--then you just pop them in the fridge for about 5 minutes to help the chocolate set, and boom: you're done. So easy. I love these because 1) they always taste SO good, and 2) you can decorate them to fit any occasion: birthdays, Valentines day, Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc. You only need a few ingredients and you're all set! 

Here's what you'll need: a package of chocolate made for melting, a package of semi-sweet chocolate (usually a Hershey bar will do; the "melting chocolate" doesn't taste very good, so you need the chocolate bar to sweeten it up. I added a package of semi-sweet chocolate chips because I was making a lot and needed more chocolate), pretzel rods, and sprinkles (or another color chocolate to drizzle over the rods). 

Using a double boiler, fill the bottom pot about 1/4 full of water and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, set flame to simmer--you don't want the water boiling and touching the top pot at all--that'll burn the chocolate. 

Don't have a double boiler? Me either. Make one! Haha. 

Dip your pretzels in the chocolate, tap extra chocolate off, then set on parchment paper. Sprinkle with your choice of either sprinkles of drizzles of another color chocolate. 

...once you've dipped all of the pretzel rods, place them in the fridge for about 5 minutes so that the chocolate can set. Once the chocolate has hardened, you're done! Enjoy!