The Best (Healthy) Chocolate Chip Cookies!!!. Ever.

This is a cookie you can feel good about making for your family. Or yourself. Not that I would ever make cookies for me. I do it for the kids. And the mister. But never for me. ;)

My family has a serious sweet tooth and this cookie fits the bill, but is way better for you than the typical chocolate chip cookie. Just don't tell your family they're healthy and I promise they won't know the difference!! So, if you're trying to eat healthier but still need a little something sweet, try this cookie. You won't regret it!

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup oats ( I use the quick-cooking kind, but you could also use old-fashioned)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup butter, softened (1/2 stick)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Grind oats in a food processor.(If you don't have a food processor, just leave them whole...no biggie). Whisk together oats, flour, salt and soda in a medium bowl. Beat butter until creamy. Then, to the butter, beat in remaining ingredients until combined. Stir in flour mixture with butter mixture. DO NOT OVERMIX!!! Stir in chocolate chips. I use a small cookie scoop which works so beautifully for making all your cookies a uniform size, but you can just eyeball it, too! Bake @ 350 for 10 minutes, or until cookies are set. You don't want to cook them too long or they'll get too hard. Never understood people who like crispy chocolate chip cookies. Just plain weird. Anyway, ENJOY! And remember these are a treat! Don't eat them all at once or make them everyday. moderation, people.

Ch-Ch-Changes

This was our home.

We loved this yellow house. We felt happy and safe here. Emma and Jonah had friends all around them! When Walter changed jobs and we knew he would be in Ruston most of the time, we still knew we would never leave. After all, my dad lived in the apartment upstairs and his mom just down the street. Most people probably thought we were crazy, but we loved living so close to them! They were a huge support system for us.
Anyway, long story short: God told us to move. I don't blame you if you gave me the eye roll here. I would have also! But the truth is, I can give you many reasons. We love our church in Ruston, but always felt only half-way committed because we weren't part of the community. We found ourselves doing things in Ruston all the time and driving back and forth was just too much. Walter was meeting so many people and loving his job and I felt a little left out because I wasn't there for any of it. These are all valid reasons, but none of them compare to that feeling deep inside when you just "know" He's telling you it's time for a change.
I think the most difficult part was telling our parents. Even though it was a big change for them, they only wanted for us to do what God was calling us to do. It hasn't been easy or perfect, but after a long and trying process of selling our little yellow house, we are now in Ruston!! We're still trying to adjust. The kids miss their friends and Emma says "it feels like we broke into somebody's home"!! On the other hand, we LOVE being so close to everything!
This is our new home! It needs a lot of love. Just about EVERYTHING needs to be painted or replaced. I'm not kidding. And yes, it is salmon pink on the outside and all the bushes are overgrown and there's no concrete driveway. But everytime I look at this house I see not what it is, but what it will be. Our home.

(Stay tuned for many projects to come!!!)

"So Happy Together" Christmas 2010

I think this Christmas may have been my favorite of all Christmases! Not because I got some fabulous gifts or because it snowed, but because of this picture right here. Our family was all together for Christmas for the first time since...well, I can't remember when exactly. Don't get me wrong - we get together for a couple days here and there AROUND the holidays, but this year we were together for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, plus a few extra! Not much quiet with 8 grandkids in the mix, but there was definitely an abundance of peace! Our God is in the business of growing and maturing us if we continue to trust Him to do so and it was a joy to see how He's been at work in all of us!

Everybody came in Wednesday night and it didn't take the kids any time to pick up right where they left off. We ordered Johnny's because that's a must when Ben and Lee are in town! The first night ended with a bang when Lee got Jonah to announce to the whole room that he and Lindsey were going to have a BABY!!!! We thought this day would never come. Lee...a baby? Can you say shock? For those of you who know Lee, you know what I'm talking about! Wonders never cease. Needless to say, we are all thrilled and are hoping for a girl because we are seriously outnumbered in this family!!

Thursday was a beautiful, but chilly day. Emma, Sam and Joe enjoyed jumping on the trampoline. Elijah and Asher wanted to see where there dad and Uncle Lee played baseball growing up, so the rest of the boys headed to Osterland to play a game! It looks like they had a blast! That night we had a Mexican feast with fajitas, salsa, guacomole, and sopapilla cake...so darn good.

On Christmas Eve, our little family went to Walter's mom's to spend the morning with her. We had a delicious breakfast, opened gifts and played an intense game of Rummicub (oldie, but a goodie)! That evening, we all went to the Christmas Eve service at Crossroads, then to Erin and Zach's for a Christmas Eve Feast!! She really outdid herself! Everything tasted so good, but my favorite part was the hot chocolate bar! The kids had a blast coloring and ended the night with a crazy dance party! As you can see, they were worn out on the ride home!



Christmas day was filled with opening presents, eating, laughing, playing monopoly, going to the movies and, of course, ...more eating!



Jonah's bearded dragon...Ben's face says it all!!



On Sunday, we ended the week with my sweet baby girl's first birthday party! Thanks to Shauna, Lindsey and Erin for all your help. I went with a "cookies and milk" theme and I think it turned out to be just adorable! It was a great way to finish our time together...by celebrating life!





It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It's the most wonderful hectic time of the year! I know I haven't posted in awhile, so this is going to be just a whole lot of crazy randomness!! Unfortunately, I don't have any recipes to post today. We are in the midst of Christmas parties, getting ready for family, planning Eva's birthday party, and moving to a new house...all at the same time!!! These are just a few of our December highlights so far, and we're only halfway through the month!

Gingerbread Houses

Aren't they beautiful???



Thanks to Zach and Walter for their unwavering patience in putting these things together!!





Christmas Decorations

  

I frosted some pinecones and put a satin ribbon behind them...super simple!




Downloaded this print online and bought the frame 1/2 off @ Michael's..I love it!



Kept the lights simple this year since we're moving. I like the rustic feel...thanks, Walter for your mad skills in rigging lights!!



Got this "Happy Holidays" banner @ Michael's for $1.99..can't beat that with a stick!!



Our tree, just like I like it...real, fat, and full!! (Don't you love the barrel idea?)



I love using brown craft paper. It makes the ribbon and tags pop! Can you tell I'm loving me some aqua and red right now?!!

Thanks to Family Circle for this idea. So easy, but so pretty!

Super cheap...white twin sheet, burlap runner (cut it myself from leftover fabric), leftover ribbon. The snowflakes were $1/4!

Took a white bowl, added some glittered pinecones, a few pieces from the tree and some ornaments!

Parent Observation @ Dance!



My motley crew!!



FCA Christmas Party

Emma with Will from Louisiana College, and his girlfriend Katie



Hollis Conway and his beautiful wife and girls



Andy, Hollis, and Walter sportin their new pullovers...fancy ;)

Two beautiful girls, Emma and Holly

 I hope in the midst of this busy season, you have much joy in your heart over the AMAZING things God has done for us. Not only did He come in flesh as Jesus, but he suffered in every possible way and took our punishment on the cross. Then, He rose from the dead so we might do the same one day. We were reminded by our pastor a couple Sundays ago to not only celebrate His birth, but to greatly anticipate His second coming. I'm thankful that God ALWAYS fulfills His promises!

I hope you have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Enjoy your family and (as I'm constantly reminding myself this season) don't stress over things that don't matter. Savor every minute. Make some sweet memories. Peace and Love!