Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

I made these today and they were wonderful. I left out the raisins cause I don't like them and also added some pecans. I found them here, but included it below. Happy Baking!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. Beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla for 5 minutes. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture 1 cup at a time.
2. Mix in raisins and craisins.
3. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). These freeze very well. Enjoy!!

I am just testing blogging from my phone.

He Likes Puzzles

Riley loves to do puzzles. We have a ton of them and he will work one and then go get another. This is usually his favorite puzzle working position. These were taken on my phone so the quality is not great. 

Finally

I have been a little under the weather this week and blogging was one of the things I left off of my schedule so I could make it throught the week in one piece. I did take pictures and have all of the posts planned and I finally got caught up today.

I also got a manicure today and had a lunch date with my mom. Russell and I are having a date night and Riley is spending the night with Grammy and Grandy. I love my in-laws. My house is a wreck, but it's been a nice relaxing day.

That's about it for today. See you tomorrow.

Basketball

Every Friday for the last month Riley has gotten to enjoy watching Grandy coach basketball. I was finally able to get some good shots to document this part of his life. I think we might have a 4th generation coach on our hands.

The Perfect Park Day

A Beautiful Day

After 2 weeks of cold weather and rain we finally got lucky and have had a few days of unusually nice days. We have taken full advantage of these days.

We live over by the hospitals and Riley loves the helicopters. He wanted to walk to see the helicopters and se we did. We saw one take off and the other one wasnt there. We walked around the fountain instead and through the parking garage. Anyone else's 2 year old have a strange obession with parking garages? Riley loves to drive through them and always wants to walk through it. Strange, but cute little man.

We were playing with our shadows on the way back to the house.

I know I have made references to his OCD tendencies, but here is a great example. He brought all of his people out his room and into the kitchen in his school bus. He then took them out and lined them up. If you look carefully you will notice that is a pretty perfect semi-circle, each person perfectly touching and all facing the same way. Just another thing that makes me laugh.

Feeding the Ducks

The studio where I teach a few lessons and a Kindermusik class has a little duck pond with a fountain. We took some bread and fed the ducks. I am pretty sure I will have to do this every week, but thats ok. Anything for my kid...right?

Christmas Eve

Our first Christmas together I was working retail and didn't get off until like 8 or something. Russell and I went to Ihop for dinner that night cause it was one of the only things open. For the next 4 years that became our tradition. When we moved to Tyler we found a breakfast spot we liked even better and now we spend Christmas Eve there. We do lunch since I participate in the Christmas Eve service at the church. So here are a few pictures from brunch I guess.

Throughout the holiday season I tried to start some traditions that we can do year after year. It is so exciting to see Riley starting these traditions and loving every minute. Since Santa likes to eat cookies we needed to decorate them. He loved doing this. It was one of those times I had to put aside my need for crafty perfection and just let him go. He made a mess but enjoyed every minute and was so proud of himself. Even Daddy joined in on the fun. I love making new traditions.

Overall the cookies turned out great. I can't wait to see how they progress and get better every year.

Since Riley's first Christmas Grandy has picked a time to read Riley "The Night Before Christmas". Since we are living in the same place it's only appropriate for it the actually be the night before christmas. After everyone came to the Christmas Eve service we all came back to the house and enjoyed a meal together. I hope we get to do this every year. I look forward to this.

The last thing was to leave cookies and milk for Santa. Next year I will be a little more prepared and have something for the reindeers.

This was one of the best christmas's we have had and I can't begin to imagine how much fun they are going to be the older Riley gets.

Hanging with the guys

We have started new small groups at church and we have been blessed with a wonderful group. Sometimes we go eat afterwards and tonight Riley sat on the other end of the table from us with Tim and Tori. He picked where he wanted to sit and it was not by mommy and daddy. I'm so happy that he loves our friends, but so sad that he is getting so big to choose not to sit beside us. After he was done eating Tim turned him around so he could watch football. 

Here is Riley, Tim, and Kyle hanging out talking who's gonna make it to the super bowl.

Time for a Trim

RIley's hair was getting a little shaggy, so we went over to Nana and Poppy's and let Granny give it a trim. I forgot to get a picture of him after he took a bath and it was all dry. I will try to get one later.

It's a Play Date

Today we had a play date at our friend, Jed's, house. (I don't know if I used the commas correctly, I'm terrible at those and most things about writing. Sorry.) Anyways, we had a great time so thanks Stefany and Jed for hosting a great day. I know Riley really enjoyed himself. He loved having new toys to play with and it was nice to have some boys to play with. He is surrounded by girls here. Everyone at church has a girl right now and Riley is the only boy. Here are just a few pictures to document our day. He also got to see his cousin Norah since they live so close and we just happen to have the same friends. 

Jed had these awesome Buzz Lightyear wings that were a big hit. Everyone wanted their turn.

The first picture I took of Riley was at the trains. He spent a majority of his day there. 

This is my sweet nephew, Elliott. I could just eat him up. So cute!

Another thing that makes Jed's house so cool is that he has his own jumping room. Stefany let the kids jump all over her new bedding that she got for Christmas. She is wayyyy cooler than I would ever be about that. 

Not sure what Riley is doing here, but I had to post it.

The big kids got stuck and so we made them stay stuck until we could get a picture. I think we all knew this was the best chance we had at getting a group picture.

Can't wait for more play dates girls. This was awesome and just what I needed after a long week. Thanks Stefany for hosting and I love your house.