No Bake Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
• 3 cups oats, or quick oats
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cups peanut butter

Directions:

Mix sugar, milk, butter and cocoa in a medium pot. On medium heat, bring to a boil, then boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and mix in the remaining ingredients. 

Prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment paper or you can grease with butter.

Spoon onto your cookie sheet. 

Let sit for 30 minutes - 1 hour, or until they don't fall apart.

Enjoy!

Cake Pops (Pudding)

Cake Pops 

Total Time: 4 hours (THEY'RE WORTH IT!!)

Makes about 22-24 cake pops

This recipe was found online. It is not mine.

Ingredients: 

• 1 box cake mix of your choice
• 1 box instant pudding mix (same flavor as cake)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup buttercream frosting
• 1 bag candy melts candy (any color)
• 1 package lollipop/cake pop sticks
• Your choice toppings

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray sheet cake pan with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, and oil. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely. Divide cake in half and freeze one for future use.

Using your hands, crumble up the cake until no large pieces remain.

Add frosting, mixing with fingers until well combined.

Form into cake balls and chill until set, about 2 hours.

While the cake balls are setting, melt candy melts according to package instructions. 

Dip the tip of each lollipop stick into melted candy, then into set cake balls. Let chill again until set, about 10 minutes. Reserve remaining melted candy.\

Dip cake pops, one at a time into remaining melted candy. Tap lightly to remove excess. If needed, you can reheat the candy with some EZ Thin Dipping Aid to thin out for easier dipping. 

Immediatly cover with topping of choice, then transfer to craft foam or cardboard box. (We found a box and poked wholes in it.) Repeat with remaining cake pops. Chill until set about 10 to 15 minutes. 

PLEASE ENJOY!!!

- Written By Gracie

Family Rules

Gracie and Dora

At two years old, saying that Gracie LOVES dora would be a complete understatement.

I started going over on my data plan, so justin increased it.  I thought it was because I had recently started training at work, and needed to check my email on the run.  Nope.  It was because Gracie figured out how to stream Dora on Netflix . . . in the car . . . while we were driving.  Oops.

Gracie pronounces Dora like "dough dah".

She has an obsession with monkeys now.  And boots.

Gracie is really starting to talk.  My favorite thing is when she holds up her hands and says, "hold you" (sounds like "hoad ewe")

Gracie's favorite people in the world are her cousins.  She lights up when she sees pictures of them or gets to skype with them.

Meet Remington

He was born on February 10th - His mom's birthday

He is Gracie Mae's newest cousin and she knows he must miss him when she is gone.

She sure loves being a big girl and holding the baby!

Ema loves holding him too!  He was falling asleep by the time that Ema got to hold him though.  

Remington is already getting so BIG and he is only one month old.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY REMINGTON!

My (not so) little boy

I was trying to take a picture of his glasses and how they were positioned on his face. Instead I got this precious picture. He often looks at me this way and I can tell how much he loves me. One lucky girl is going to steal him from me someday. But until then I will enjoy these little moments with him.

The View From Up Here

Gracie sat on the edge of the window today and said, "my pretty". She knew she looked good and wanted me to take a picture.