The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie EVER!

Everyone has been asking for this recipe this year.  I decided to add it here and anyone can pull it up whenever they want.  This recipe was a happy accident.  I bought the wrong ingredients and added less flour and got this recipe.  Upon tasting them, Scott told me to never make them any other way!

Ingredients
1/3 cup of sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup of Crisco
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups of self-rising flour
6 ounces of milk chocolate chips

Using a large mixing bowl, add one ingredient at a time in the order listed, and hand stir until blended.  This is VERY important.  You canNOT dump everything in at once and get the same consistency.  I would suggest adding the sugar 3/4 of a cup at a time to avoid wearing any!  Using a teaspoon, drop onto cookie sheet.  Do NOT spray cookie sheet.  They will not stick. 

Bake cookies at 330 degrees for 12 - 14 minutes.  Set them on top of the stove and allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 to 7 minutes.  Then move to a cookie rack to continue to cool.  Sever with milk!

NOTE: They may not look done when you remove them.  They are.  If you overcook them until they are brown they will be dry and crumble. At this cook time they will be soft and gooey.  For some reason, this recipe is very inconsistent.  Sometimes they are perfect and sometimes they are great but could be better.  I think it depends on the freshness of your ingredients. 

TIPS:  I use store brand ingredients for most of this recipe.  I also use Airbake cookie sheets which seems to make the cookies fluffier.  I also find that if I soften my butter it makes a much prettier cookie.

Happy Cookie Making!

Contemplating Number Three

Well, we're in the home stretch now - Only 75 days to go until our due date!  That doesn't seem like much and seems like forever at the same time.  Since the beginning, I have had a sneaking suspicion that I am further along than my doctor thinks I am.  I feel 8 months pregnant, not 7 months, but we'll see.  Maybe we will get lucky and he'll come a bit "early".

Anyway, the reality that we will soon have a baby boy added to our home is starting to sink in.  We've not started the nursery yet.  That's a project for January!  But we have bought him a good bit of clothing and a few blankets and bibs.  We are planning on using our PINK swing and bouncy seat!  He'll never know, unless we take pictures. 

Truthfully, I have always wanted a little boy.  I don't know why?  Maybe, I just want a little "Scott"!  I love my girls and we have lots of fun but I am looking forward to the challenge of a little boy.  Bless Him - He'll have 2 extra little mommies to mother him all day.  The girls are very excited.  Lyra Kate makes Lila Grace practice with a baby doll each day.  "Now Sis, you feed the baby."  She is constantly talking about "Tuck-Tuck" and wanting to "see" the baby on the TT (TV). 

Someone asked me a while back how I was going to manage with three.  Honestly, I don't know.  Having three under the age of three scares me a bit, but I guess we will just adjust as needed.  Since my girls go with me almost everywhere, I assume once he is a few weeks old that we will just load him up and take him with us.  Getting all three in and out of the carseats, strollers, and grocery carts will be a great workout! Lyra Kate has yet to potty train, so we may have 3 in diapers for a few months!  I'm a bit worried about Gracie, who loves being a baby, adjusting to having a little one around all the time.  A mother of 3 once told me that "Three was hard because Mommies only have two arms!" 

These last few weeks are going to be crazy-busy getting ready for Tucker's arrival!  I know that this season of life will pass all too quickly.  Before I know it, no more bottles, sippy cups, diapers, or late night feedings.  For some reason, God chose to wait until now to pour out the blessing of children on our family.  One thing I learned from our years of waiting was to enjoy the season of life that you find yourself in.  I spent years looking to the next season (children) and failed to fully enjoy the years that it was just the two of us!  I plan to enjoy this season with three littles to the fullest!

Money

This time of year it seems we never have enough money.  All our bills are paid and the groceries are bought, but there is very little left over for other things like Christmas.  This year is a little harder because of Tucker being due in February.  Until our Thanksgiving shopping spree, the poor little guy only had 3 outfits.  Our extra money, that we normally spend on things like clothing and extras, is going to the OB each month.  We also traveled to my parents this Thanksgiving and stayed in a hotel, unlike previous years, which has added to our financial drain.

This time of year I always think of how much easier it would be if we still had my income.  We would have a lot more money for the extras.  I wouldn't have to try so hard to find good deals and second hand stuff for the girls.  I could have drapes!  Scott could get that new guitar he's been wanting for years.  I could go have my hair colored instead of doing it (poorly) myself.  I could give more money to the projects at our church, maybe upgrade my 10 year old van, and landscape my poor yard.

Yep, all those are things that have to wait, and some will never get done for the lack of funds.  BUT, then God reminds me of all the things that I have that money can never buy.

Money cannot buy my forgiveness that God freely gave me though His son.

Money cannot buy my wonderful, god-loving husband.

Money cannot buy the love of my children.

Money cannot keep us all healthy.

Money cannot buy a happy home, real friends, or family.

Money cannot buy joy or real peace.

Money cannot buy the precious child that is growing in my womb.

So, when I stress about not having an income and making it stressful on my husband to provide for our growing family - I will remember that I am rich beyond measure with the blessings of God!

BUSY!

Wow, have we been busy around here!  I can't believe it's already the second week of December. 
We spent the week of Thanksgiving with Mamaw in Daphne, Alabama.  (Why is it when I say Alabama, in my head I hear Forrest Gump's voice?)  We had a great week of food, family, and shopping.  Little guy Tucker now has a basic wardrobe and the girls' winter wardrobes are complete.  We got some great deals at the Foley outlet and the area consignment shops.  Plus, Mamaw is always on the lookout for great deals and had a bunch of stuff for us when we got there.

We also got to see cousin Jaylah, who is growing so fast.  She and Gracie are the same size and she is also walking and running everywhere.  Uncle Tim and Aunt Kendall were there too.  We did miss Papaw, who was busy working for Santa (actually, he is hauling for UPS, but that is about the same) and missed seeing us this visit.  We watched Toys Story 3 and Santa Paws, got to go to Target, and spent the week nursing Daddy who got a nasty sinus infection and bronchitis while on vacation.

Since being home, we have tried to decorate, but I am so slow these days, it is taking forever!  If I ever get finished, I will post some pics.  We are also gearing up for Christmas parties and all the other holiday traditions.  We went to the Christmas parade this weekend.   I will start making cookies this week for various groups of people. I wonder how many I will make this year?  We also have Christmas cards to do, Santa to visit, a family ornament to buy, and I have only bought the girls a few books to go under the tree.  Yeah, I need to stop thinking about it...I'm starting to sweat!  Anyway, I hope to post some pics of all the fun soon and maybe the "secret" chocolate chip cookie recipe!