Thankful For Spontanaety

Had a great Thanksgiving.  Always nice to see family.  That is the best part of the holidays.  It seems everything is a big blur of busy at the holidays, sometimes it is nice to try to be more laid back and less stressed.  I'm stressed enough just trying to keep my kids occupied and doing productive things on a lazy Sunday with no expectations.  

I am not a lover of expectations.  I like to be spontaneous and shy away from committing to things as I don't like to feel like I HAVE to do something.  I enjoy taking things a day at a time and feeling free to do what feels right at the time.  Calendars stress me out when they are full.  I'd rather have an empty calendar with a list of things I can choose to do if I feel like it.  Life is short and time is speeding faster every day.  I would rather not cram everything in but enjoy my time as relaxed as possible.  With all that is on life's agenda it may not be possible but I'm sure going to give it my best shot.

This weekend was gorgeous.  It was lovely to lay on the couch like a couch potato and be lazy.  It was lovely putting up the Christmas tree with the family and getting into the spirit of Christmas.  Every year I feel a slight sense of sadness when another Christmas gets closer.  Not because I dislike Christmas but because it is a reminder of another year coming to a close.  I so cherish my time and want to soak it in as long as I can.  Still I will always love that special feeling of Christmas that glows within.  Even when I'm a mean, ornary old lady Christmas will always make my heart melt. 

Today I took the kids for a much needed haircut.  They look adorably handsome once again.  Then I drove to one of my favorite trails for a walk outside as it was 50 degrees!  How can we not get out for at least one walk and a few photos.=) I never tell my children when we are going for a walk in nature anymore because it is better to just go and wait for the whining later.  Today they actually enjoyed walking on the trail.  It was so nice to get some fresh air.  After that I made some amazing monster cookies and ate way too much cookie dough along side way too much cookies.  I feel like I gained 10 pounds but dang they were good!  We watched the movie Home Alone, I love that movie!  So does Riley.  Such a cute movie. 

Tomorrow is Monday.  Yuck.  So begins the deadlines, the expectations and the busy rush of it all once again.  

Monster cookie recipe

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick oats
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini M&M candies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or use a silpat liner.In a large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer) cream together the butter, brown sugar, and peanut butter until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.Mix in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.Add the oats, chocolate chips, and M&M candies. Mix on low speed just until dough is combined.Use a small/medium cookie scoop, or about 2 tablespoons cookie dough, and place on the baking sheets.Bake the cookies for 7-9 minutes until the edges are just starting to brown and the top still looks slightly undercooked.Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Christmas Tree

Put our Christmas tree up today.

First Hard Frost

Annie Family Photos

Time

You cannot dwell on the speed of time.  You have to learn to take it one day at a time.  Time is your most valuable gift.

Puddles And Gloom

Oh how I love puddles!  I stopped at Norskadalen today to renew my yearly membership there while Riley was at a birthday party.  It was a gloomy day but to my delight I found a puddle to explore in.  

Also came across these photos from Uncle Justin's wedding 2 years ago ... at least I think it has been 2 years now.  Time is unfathomable.

Halloween 2017

This year Riley decided he wanted to dress up as a Vampire.  So naturally Austie also wanted to be a Vampire as he loves to do whatever his brother does.  It was an easy costume to do and Jason and I decided to join in on the Vampire theme too.  Truly Jason was the best looking of all of us, he went all out!  We had fun!