Messy Monday -- Cookies!!

Sometimes my favorite thing to do with my kids is to make cookies!  With 4 little helpers it almost alwasy turns out Messy, so it is the perfect activity to share with you today.  Could my helpers be any cuter?!

Doodle Cookies (a.k.a. snickerdoodles) recipe from here.

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
3. Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

What have you done for Messy Monday?  Link it up!

1.  Use the link to your actual blog post, not your blog address.

2.  Grab a Messy Monday button and put it in your blog post or somewhere on your blog.

</P> <P></P> <P><BR></P> <P><center><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://pumpkinpatchdesigns.blogspot.com"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CFLPhXbrx2LwLWzztjTAKUbY1LxAgoeJAny5EEDMNSHbhAXaRJIA1p6uvwMEs0Kqoktrq1h1Ti3As1RnnSGu1JevQnSDIGRyzpm0ZTy5PSWo9mGBEOunpPHNweSfrr_iq0HmexXqyXah/s1600/Messy+Monday+button-2.jpg " /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right"> </td></tr></table></center></P> <P><BR></P> <P>

 

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3.  Go check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites.  Go check them out!

Foodie Friday -- Carrot Cake Cupcakes

A friend of mine wanted Carrot Cake for her birthday.  She is also a pretty healthy eater, so I knew I couldn't just make any old Carrot Cake it had to be at least a little bit healthy.  Here's what I came up with and it was DELICIOUS!  (I was running low on time so I baked them as cupcakes instead of as a cake.)

Carrot Cake

• 4 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups applesauce
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4  tsp. nutmeg
• 3 cups grated carrots (grated on the large grater hole side)
• 1 cup chopped peacons
• 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained well

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour cake pans (or use papers for cupcakes)
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, applesause, brown sugar and vanilla.
3. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. Stir in carrots and pineapple.
5. Fold in pecans. 
6. Pour into prepared pans.
7. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick comes out clean.  bake a 9 x 13 for 40-50 minutes.  bake 2 round pans for 25-35 minutes.  Bake cupcakes for 15-20 minutes.
8. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let cool completely.

And when your kids dont know how good they have it, they get these for dessert instead.  :)

I'm linking to these sites.  Go check them out.

Thoughtful Thursday -- He looks just like Jesus!

Last night as my kids and I were walking out of our church building a group of people were coming in.  The last man in the group saw us coming so he held the door for us.  He was dressed nicely in a white shirt and dark pants.  He had shoulder length brown hair and a full beard.  My son saw him and his face filled with amazement as we got closer to the door.  Then J leaned closer to me and said, "Mom is that Jesus?!"  I smiled at him and said no, it was just a nice man who looked alot like Jesus.  J then said, "He sure does look like Jesus and he is being so nice to us...just like Jesus would be."  I agreed with him and we walked through the door.  J continued to stare at this nice man as we walked by and I whispered to him as I passed that my son thought he looked like Jesus.  The man flashed a huge smile and said, "Why thank you!".  J was quiet as we got into the car and then finally said, "Mom I love Jesus and that man looked so much like him.  I always try hard to be just like Jesus wants me to be."

Melt my heart!!!  Do you ever wonder if the things you try and teach your kids ever actually sink in?  Well friends, it does!  And you will hear the most amazing things from your kids if you take the time to listen.

Whatever Wednesday -- Cute Little Bag

I recently had a conversation with E that made me giggle.  I thought I would share it with you.  But first I have to let you all know that E doesn't like that I call her E on my blog and she asked me if I would call her Daisy instead.  So forevermore she will be referred to as Daisy.  Anyway, here is how our conversation went.

Daisy:  Mom, can you make me a little bag...sort of like your purse, but waaaay smaller? 

Me:  Sure.  What do you want it to look like?

Daisy:  I want it pink and green with two handles.

Me:  Okay.  Do you want fabric or yarn?

Daisy:  Yarn, of course!  (a girl after my own heart.)

Me:  Yarn sounds good to me.  Do you want anything else?

Daisy:  Yes, I want it to be cute.

Me:  Okay.  Anything else?

Daisy:  One more thing.  Can you make sure is has plenty of fashion?

Me:  Of course!  (trying very hard not to laugh before she was out of earshot.)

Seriously.  Could my little 7 year old be any cuter?  What am I going to do when she's a teenager?!

And here it is.  What do you think?

I'm linking to these sites.  Go check them out.

Transform Tuesday -- Baskets make all the difference!

This week's transformation is simple.  I'll let the pictures do all of the talking.

Before:  Random stuff that I didn't want my kids to get to.

After:  Get a really cute basket from Michaels for 40% off ($9.98 after discount) and put all of your stuff in it...much better!

What have you transformed?  Link it up!!

Here are the rules:

1.  Use the link to your actual blog post, not your general blog address.

2.  Grab a button and post it on your blog somewhere.

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3.  Check out what everyone has done and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites.  Go check them out!