Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Strawberry Shortcake happens to be one of my all-time favorite desserts. So when I saw this recipe in the latest Martha Stewart magazine, I knew I had to try the cookie version. I mean, how bad could they be? Well, I made them tonight and let me tell you, we can't stop eating them! They are not overly sweet so it's the delicious buttery cookie that keeps you coming back for more. Actually, they remind me of a scone. My strawberries weren't that sweet so I added a little more sugar than the recipe called for. Overall, I liked them and would make them again. Enjoy.

Kate Performs.

And for all those who have been missing Bear, here is a little video of her to melt the heart:

Favorite Things

Current Top 5









1. Agave Syrup
I confess that I got this from Gwyneth, who I'm slightly obsessed with. I'm a morning coffee drinker and I've always used white sugar as my sweetener. As yummy as it is and despite the caloric intake, about an hour after consumption, I'm having a sugar crash - shakes, grumpy, tired, etc. So when Gwyneth told me (yes, me) about this, I decided to try the syrup in my coffee. Agave syrup is notable in that its glycemic index and glycemic load are lower than many other sweeteners. Basically, your body doesn't absorb it as fast as sugar therefore no sugar crashes. A lot of diabetics use this. To me, there is really no taste difference and I feel so much better. Try it!











2. My Halogen Brand T-Shirt.
This is a must. Having a good tee is a staple to a wardrobe. I found this particular one last Summer and I L-O-V-E it. It's length is long and snug on the body, only showing off my good curves. I bought a size larger for a better fit and because let's face it, nobody wants to see the outline of my muffin top. I feel more sexy in this tee than anything else. But then again, I'm a jeans/tee kind of girl.











3.Lisa Hoffman Skin Care
I first received this as a free sample from Dermstore.com. Most of the time I'm not that crazy with their free samples, but this one was different. This is a 5 step day/night skin regime which included, eyes, lips, day/night cream, vitamin serum and toner. After only two times of using this, I was blown away. I mean seriously. I've tried lots of "products" and honestly never really noticed a difference. With Lisa Hoffman's, there was a definite difference. I think the best product is the vitamin serum. My skin was vibrant, evenly toned and well hydrated. My biggest complaint I have about her products are the prices. You don't get a lot for what you pay. But if you can splurge, splurge on this!!









4. The Venable Three
(Karli is probably going to kill me for posting this, but I don't really care. She lives too far away for me to worry.) :)
This is a blog by my friend, Karli Venable. I'm lucky that she is my friend but I'm even luckier that she writes. Her words move my heart and she takes me to the depths of God. Read it!














5. Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave
It's last, but certainly not the least. I'm an Ellie fan. I've loved her from episode 1. So when her new book came out around Christmas, you better believe it was on my wish list! Ellie's book has it all! Healthy and delicious recipes from breakfast to dinner. Every recipes has a picture and lists the nutritional information. It's a beautiful book and I highly recommend it. My next experiment, her Chicken Fried Rice (with brown rice, of course). :)

Joy.

Timeout.

Kate is now 21 months old and so much of her little personality is shining through. Everyday I watch her explore life and all it's joys. She is one of the most outgoing children I've seen. Her vocabulary amazes Brent and me and every new word usually brings a chuckle to us. She repeats everything - both good and bad! We have discovered that apparently when we change her diapers, we comment, "Oh Gosh" (referring to the mess inside) because she now says, "Oh Josh" when we change her diaper. It's so funny. She can also recite her ABC's and count to 10. Kate is holding steady in the 50th percentile for both height and weight. We imagine we will be embarking on the potty training soon but I plan to wait as long as possible. She does tell me now when she needs to poo-poo but I'm not ready to deal with "that" in public environments. I have issues with public restrooms and lugging my 2 yr. old into one is just not something I'm ready for. Well as with all these wonderful milestones, we have reached a milestone for independence. Now don't get me wrong, Kate has the sweetest heart and has always been the BEST and EASIEST baby, even in womb (never threw up once!), but we have seen some new attitudes that have made us do a few double takes. That's why we have implemented the following disciplinary tool. Works great and more importantly, looks cute. ;)















Before



















After: Much classier. ;)

Byron Nelson Tournament

Last year, we hosted our first annual Byron Nelson Tournament. We had Wii Golf, a putting green playoff, and fun food outdoors. I only have a few pics from the party.

Parties

I've decided I'm going to start posting some pics from some of my favorite parties. Some I may have hosted and some I may just have attended. Either way, I think it will be fun to look at and hopefully they might inspire some ideas for your next event.

Last year, Brent and I hosted a launch party for a biscotti business called, Dunkluv. Here are some pics:

















P.S. If you have a party you want me to post, send me some pics.