After seeing this recipe, I requested to make cinnamon rolls for our family gatherings. It started on Friday night with a trip to the grocery store to pick up some much needed staples. It was absolute madness at the store (guess I’m not the only last-minute shopper), so I grabbed a balloon to bribe Gavin into good behavior. It worked – and has provided for endless moments of excitement at home. Though, later in the weekend when we went back to the grocery store, he was excitedly reaching for another balloon – I’ve created a monster!

I’ve got to admit, I don’t usually make such complicated recipes. It’s not that this recipe was hard to follow (in fact, instructions that include comments like, the more butter oozing out the sides the better, well, those are instructions I can get behind!). But, there were a lot of steps and a lot of waiting between the steps (let the dough rise, let the dough cool, etc.). I wound up making the dough on Friday night and actually putting together the rolls on Saturday morning (which meant, I was the only one up at 5am to ensure we got out of the house on time).

Saturday was a long day for us. We went to Sweets’ parents house in the morning (they live about 45 minutes away) for a family get-together, gift exchange, brunch. We also committed to going to church and another gathering with family friends that evening … so, we wound up staying in the suburbs for the day. It was fun, but exhausting, especially since I was fighting with the ickies. Nevertheless, Gavin had fun with his cousins and playing with toys circa 1980 when Sweets was a kid (and yes, Gavin is rocking out in an Addidas track suit!).

Sunday, I woke up feeling like hell. I was up coughing for much of the night, my head hurt and I just felt rundown from the previous day. Sweets wasn’t feeling all that great, either. So, we cancelled brunch with my family, which really bummed me out as it was the only time over the weekend we devoted to spending time with my side of the family. Sunday afternoon/evening, we were expected at another family gathering in the suburbs. I bailed, but Sweets took Gavin and seemed to have a good time.

Monday was a day of rest for our family. We went grocery shopping. Organized gifts. And planted our butts on the couch for much of the day. It would’ve been glorious if it wasn’t for all of us feeling sick. Sigh.

Speaking of gifts … Sweets got me a sweet new lens for my camera. It’s one I’ve been thinking about getting for months now (probably more like over a year). It’s a fixed distance lens (no zoom), so it means I have to get up and move around if I don’t like how the photo is framed. It’s supposed to be one of the best portrait lenses, so I was excited to play with it. There is definitely a learning curve with this lens and I have only just started playing with it. But, so far, I love that you can focus crisply on your subject and blur pretty much everything behind (even if it’s only a foot behind your subject).

I love how Gavin is standing less than a foot in front of our entertainment center and yet, it’s totally blurred out. There’s no question what I (as the photographer) want you (as the viewer) looking at … my cute son, of course!

Life isn’t always rosey around here. Gavin definitely has his moments. I love the lighting in this photo … and also that his face is in focus, but his body is blurred.

And finally, a photo where I don’t want you focusing on the face. Rather, I want you to see this light-up snowman that Gavin is playing with … I love how his hands are in focus, but his face is blurred away.

Anyway, needless to say, this sick girl has had fun playing with her new toy. Hope y’all had a wonderful holiday celebration. And to those who don’t have to work this week … I’m oh so jealous!!! =)

I’ll admit, at first I was a little nervous. I’ve never spent a day baking a ton of cookies. And Nora? Has a family tradition of making cookies around this time of year. So, not only was I attempting something new, but I was replacing a day Nora normally spends with family. No pressure, kids, no pressure.

Not surprisingly, we had a blast. Nora brought three tried and true recipes while I contributed one new recipe. She got started right away and I sort of took a bit to warm up (let me use chasing Gavin as an excuse for my failed focus during the first recipe).

First up, peppermint fudge. The recipe is Nora’s family secret, so I’ve been sworn to not reveal the details. But, I can share with you that we made the boys help smash peppermint sticks. And then, voila, it was ready. It’s kind of ridiculous how easy the recipe was. It took about 15 minutes to make two batches. I’m not kidding.

Don’t mind the TERRIBLE flash on these photos. We couldn’t quite figure it out … and it’s not like cookies sit around waiting to be photographed – they disappear (into our tummies) after too long!

Next up, these oooooey, goooey oatmeal, chocolate chip, caramel bars. Again, not my recipe to share. But, it was fun pulling out the Kitchen Aid Mixer to make these bars of yumminess. Of course, I couldn’t pull my face away from eating these bars long enough to take a photo of the finished product. Fail!

I think the third recipe was my favorite. Chocolate covered pretzel rods. There really isn’t a secret to this recipe. Pour melted chocolate over pretzels. Add sprinkles. Let chocolate set. The recipe was super easy. And I love the sweet and savory combination of the salty pretzels and sweet chocolate.

Our last recipe for the day was salted caramel cookies. I saw the recipe here and kind of had to try it. I’ll admit, there were a lot of steps. Nora and I agreed it’s one of those recipes that we’d have to try a couple more times to work out the kinks. But, you guys, holy cow. Sugar cookies. Homemade caramel. A sprinkle of sea salt on top? Even the imperfect batch of cookies melt in your mouth. AHHHHHHMAZING!

I’m not gonna lie. My feet really hurt after standing all afternoon. My belly especially hurt after trying, well, trying everything (at least once, if not more than once). It was exhausting. But, it was so much fun. And, I think I passed Nora’s litmus test, because I’m pretty sure I heard her agree to making this an annual get together with us in years to come! Talk about a big WIN for us!

]]> http://somispeaks.com/2011/12/13/cookies-2/feed/ 14 http://somispeaks.com/2011/11/29/gobble/ http://somispeaks.com/2011/11/29/gobble/#comments Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:27:19 +0000 SoMi's Nilsa http://somispeaks.com/?p=5162 Happy week after Thanksgiving! Y’all, let me tell you, I indulged myself this weekend. Oh yes I did!

Thursday was Thanksgiving #1 for our family. (Well, technically, it was Thanksgiving #2, since Thanksgiving #1 took place in October.) My aunt and uncle hosted almost 20 guests. The best part about the meal? My aunt and uncle only cooked the turkey and mashed potatoes. Every guest provided another part of the meal, which was DELICIOUS! (I made a butternut squash / leek / Granny Smith apple soup with a cider cream and bacon bit topping from this amazing book and a pumpkin pie, thanks to the sassy Paula Dean.)

Friday, Sweets had to work (a travesty!), so I packed up the truck with Gavin and SoMi and we went to visit our dear friends who left the city for the far out suburbs. Gavin got to play with some girlfriends (he’s a lady’s man, for sure!). I got to catch up with our friends (and talk about future overnights at their home – fun stuff!). And we all took a fabulous walk to a local farm, where Gavin met his first horse and SoMi chased a cat into a barn (while I frantically yelled at her to come back)!

Friday night, a dear friend celebrated her anniversary with her husband while I babysat her adorable children. (I should write an entire post dedicated to the art of establishing a baby sitting exchange with friends – it’s brilliant!)

Saturday was Thanksgiving #2 with Sweets’ family. Gavin adores his older cousins, so it was fun to watch them make him laugh. Gavin also had the opportunity to learn how to play his grandfather’s drums. One day, I’ll regret the decision to let him learn the love for all things loud. =)

Sunday was our day of rest … snicker, hahaha, yeah right. (Just imagine Sweets saying, “we can sleep when we’re dead,” because that was pretty much his mantra all weekend.) We went to Gavin’s beloved music class where he was largely quiet until the last 15 minutes of class. By that point in class, he began giggling, dancing, playing with other children’s shakers, chasing bubbles, screeching with joy, playing the drum and guitar, and generally having a wildly good time.

After class, we met friends for lunch and sat at a table next to a fireplace. I think it was our first time teaching Gavin about the dangers of hot fires. He seemed to get it, though he also needed to be reminded from time to time to “make a different choice” as his course seemed to be heading straight towards the flames. After Gavin took a 3-hour nap that afternoon (score!), we went over to my bestie’s home for dinner. She made an outstanding spread (she always does) that included an early birthday cake for me (yummy!). It was a good thing we had SoMi join us, because she did a magnificent job of cleaning up after Gavin. ha.

And now we’re back to work. I’m full. Full of yummy food and time well spent with cherished people. Hope you had a most excellent weekend full of good food and good times, too!

Saturday, we were supposed to have plans with friends from Wisconsin. Due to a work trip extension, they asked for a rain check, which was fine. We were also supposed to go to the far out suburbs to visit friends who recently moved there. They asked us to reschedule. We agreed.

With all this free time on our hands, we quickly made plans for a play-date (as a make-up for the play-date I had to cancel the previous weekend). And I accepted an invitation to go to a girls night out party instead.

Our friends canceled the play-date last minute. And I bailed on the girls night out (Sunday nights = winding down, so I couldn’t muster the energy).

Don’t let this post become a pity party. Far from it. We actually enjoyed a really nice weekend together.

• Sweets’ friends from college were in town this weekend, so they stopped by to say hello and to pick up a bike Sweets was giving them. Their youngest (a boy) is a few months younger than Gavin – it was cute to see their girls playing so well with Gavin (clearly, they’ve had practice).
• We went to Gavin’s regularly scheduled music class (though, there was a substitute teacher, since Gavin’s teacher was sick … the first time we had a sub since we started this class in the spring … go figure it’d happen to us on this weekend!). )1(
• I took SoMi on a run – for the first time in ages, she actually cooperated and followed my lead for when we would run versus walk.
• We had dinner with our neighbors.
• We went grocery shopping without rush. )2(
• We watched a Lisa Ling special on PTSD and veterans. We cried. )3(
• We sorted through and ordered our holiday cards. )4(
• We slept in.
• We napped on top of sleeping in.
• We had long, rambling breakfasts that consisted of hours and hours of eating.
• I tried on a mail-order dress and decided to return it upon gaining agreement from Sweets that it made me look like a pilgrim (might be OK for Thanksgiving dinner, not so much for a wedding in late December).
• I looked up recipes for a soup I want to make for Thanksgiving. )5(
• We finally purchased outlet protectors, since we’ve spent the past few weeks saying, “No, Gavin, make a different choice” as he eagerly veers towards a couple key outlets that are very much exposed.

See, we did stuff. It was a largely unplanned, but it was a fun and productive weekend.

)1(    There are a few families in that class whom we seem to be drawn to every week. We always sit together or near each other. Or we make eye contact during class. Or we flat out wind up in conversation with them. I would definitely love to get our kids together outside class. But … I think about making the offer and then chicken out. How can I fairly start that conversation knowing full well our calendar is so darn full already?! I really should just get over it and extend the friendship hand.

)2(   A few weeks ago, I noted to Sweets that when you go grocery shopping at 9:30 pm, you run into a bunch of mothers/parents who have escaped their house for some kid-free shopping. Well, this weekend, I added an observation that when you go grocery shopping at 9:30 am, you run into a bunch of mothers/parents who go shopping with their kids! =)

)3(   Have you watched Lisa Ling’s series, Our America, on the Oprah Network? Sweets and I started watching it a few months ago and I gotta tell you – it’s powerful. It’s a series of one-hour shows – each show covers a part of our country that is wounded and often misunderstood. It could be sex trafficking or polygamy or spiritual healing. Lisa Ling approaches each episode acknowledging the misconceptions, admitting to her own misunderstandings and investigating/interviewing to figure out whether her initial viewpoints were entirely correct. Oftentimes, she discovers how flawed her (our!) initial thinking is. It definitely gives Sweets and I pause to learn about some of the dark corners of our nation.

)4(   Do you know how much fun I have looking at and choosing holiday cards with matching photos? If I could make a job out of sorting through your favorite photos and providing you with the best matches for holiday cards (or invitations or thank you cards or whatever), I totally would. And, y’all, our cards turned out soooooo cute. Seriously. I’m so excited about them. And I want to share them here soooooooo much. But, I don’t want to ruin the surprise for those family members and some select friends who read this blog. For now, trust me. They’re cute. And I promise I’ll share the card with you once our loved ones have received the real thing.

)5(    I’ve been reading a lot of blog posts lately that focus on two things: being thankful and starting/continuing family traditions. A few years ago, I decided to make soup to contribute to our family Thanksgiving. To me, Thanksgiving dinner is full of warm comfort foods … a nice soup definitely feels like home. This year, I want to make soup again … and I’m thinking about making it an ongoing tradition from here on out. I don’t necessarily associate soup with the traditional Thanksgiving meal, but somehow the right soup feels like it fits in well with any turkey day menu (plus, my family never sticks to the rules, so why start now?!?!?).

So, to start the festivities, I must wish a very Happy Anniversary to us! Yep, that’s right. Three years ago today, Sweets and I got married. Two years ago around this time, we celebrated anniversary #1 by going to a U2 concert. Last year around this time, we celebrated anniversary #2 by taking a trip to NY to see my brother and to celebrate with friends who share the same anniversary. And this year?

To celebrate our anniversary this year, we’re meeting with our attorney to get started on will and trust stuff. You think I’m kidding? I’m totally not. Our only other option to get together with our attorney in the next few weeks is next Tuesday. And that’s Gavin’s birthday (holy crap!). Even though Sweets and I make up two thirds of this family, we’ll take one for the team so that we can leave free Gavin’s birthday. =)

Not only does Gavin have a birthday coming up next week, but we are planning a party for him the weekend after his birthday. Invitations went out a few weeks ago and RSVPs are in. What was meant to be a big playdate has turned into an even bigger playdate … 32 adults, 10 babies and 11 older siblings.

It’s a good thing we decided to get started on preparations this past weekend. Nothing crazy. A trip to Micheal’s (thank goodness I went with a list – otherwise, I likely would’ve had a tantrum – that place is overwhelming!). Some purchases on Amazon (I should be an honorary Board member for that company – I buy pretty much everything through them!). Some conversations with Sweets about what’s left to do (a lot)!

It’s all good, though. I’m kind of treating this party like I treated my wedding: I will work hard to prepare, but will not worry once the day of the event arrives – something always goes wrong and I cannot be bothered to let any of it stress me out – we’ll cross that river when we come to it! Plus, there will be food and beverages. Chocolate and cake. A designated play area for the babies. And a few activities to keep the older siblings busy. A pretty photo collage (thanks to Martha Stewart and a girlfriend for the idea). Balloons (because, I have yet to meet a baby that doesn’t like balloons). Bubbles (ditto). Music (ditto again). No theme. No set structure. Just two hours of baby stimulation.What’s not to like about that?!

While I have a pretty good idea of what the space will look like and how we’ll spend our time, I’m still not sure on food. We are not serving a meal, but do plan to provide finger foods along the lines of veggies and dip. Do y’all have any easy-to-make recipes that you’d recommend I consider for this party? Bonus if it can be prepared the night before and holds up well the next day.