Busy, Busy

Over the weekend we took a short day trip up to Devil's Lake and went geo-caching for the first time.  The kids had an absolute blast.  I think part of what made the trip a success was the preparation.

 I printed a map for each of the kids of the lake and surrounding trails.  We also purchased compasses for all three of them. 

I printed out several different caches for us to look for, and downloaded Trimble's Geo-Caching Navigator App to my phone. 

It was a complete sucess and we'll definitely be going again.  To find out more about geo-caching, you can visit this website.

I just had to share this... We saw these clumps of mushrooms all over- Maya decided they look like biscuits.  Yum!

In the realm of daily life, I may have gone off the deep end a little.  I actually volunteered to be a leader for my son's cub scout den.  I've completed some of the training already, but I just know I'm going to be very, very busy here.

Swirling around

I have thoughts right now, swirling around in my head.  It's a dangerous thing.  Often when I have thoughts swirling around, I get myself way in over my head.  I get over-ambitous.  Then, I get stuck.  Finally, I get frustrated, and do one of the following: 1.  Push through and have a less perfect than anticipated end product, 2.  Set it aside with the intention of finishing at a later date, only to be distracted by more swirling thoughts, 3.  Quit on the thought completely, only to be reminded at a later time of how I failed. 

I don't like to fail--it really bothers me.  Thus, I get stuck at the point of indecision most of the time.  And, most of my decision making I keep by myself until I've actually made the decision so that I don't drive my husband crazy.  Although, I don't think he really realizes how much of that I keep to myself. 

Part of the swirlings are the vizualizations of a baby quilt for a friend that's having a baby in about a month.  Which means I really have to get to work on it!  I have fabrics picked out I think, and I have a basic pattern picked out too.  So, tonight I have to figure out the exact measurements needed for each of the elements.  I plan on using part of the fabric above in the quilt, along with some 9-patch blocks.  This fabric is from the Hooty-Hoot Kangaroo by Doohickey Designs.  I absolutely love it, but it was still a very difficult decision!!

Sunday

Autumn Sundays are days for chili, football (Go Packers!), and laundry around our home, and today followed that pattern exactly.

I started chili just an hour after breakfast was over, you know it has to cook all day.  I'll share my recipe with you later in the week, when its closer to game day again.  It's super easy and perfect on chilly drizzly days like today. 

We also enjoyed some Buffalo Chicken Dip... num!!  My husband can (and will if I let him) eat an entire casserole dish full.  I'll share that recipe later too (lots of teasers, I know!)

This evening I was still in a cooking mood, so I'm baking my super delicious Cherry Oatmeal Cookies.  These are my absolute favorite right now, so much so that I've made them twice in the last week!

Here's the reciped (altered from the Quaker Oats "Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies" recipe):

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter, softened (NOT margarine for heavens sakes!  Use real butter)

1 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. Oats (Quick or Old Fashioned, uncooked)
1 c. dried cherries

1.  Pre-heat oven to 350.
2.  In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon & salt.  Set aside.
3.  In a separate bowl (large), beat together butter & sugars until creamy.
4.  Add eggs & vanilla to butter/sugar mixture, beat well.
5.  Add combined flour mixture from small bowl to large bowl slowly, mix well.
6.  Mix in oats & dried cherries.
7.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
8.  Bake 10-12 minutes (although in my oven it takes 14!) or until golden brown.
9.  Cool 1-3 minutes on the cookie sheet before transfering to a cooling rack (or I use cut up paper bags from the grocery store).

The recipe says it makes 4 doz.  I don't think so, unless they are teeny tiny.  Maybe thats why it takes 14 minutes for me... Anywho, I'd say maybe 2 doz, thus I almost always double the recipe.

Enjoy!!

On Vacation

We're on vacation this weekend, visiting my in-laws in Indiana.  Here are a few glimpses into our little world here:

Playing with puppies

Picking Tomatos

Meeting Grasshoppers

Playing with long lost cousins

Watching the horse show

Roasting hotdogs & marshmellows over a campfire

Grooming horses.

Lots more to do today... Happy Sunday.