the BEST Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Original recipe courtesy of Mel's Kitchen (love this blog!)

So if you know me, you know I am the queen of substitutions and making baked treats "heathy".  Well this, my friends, is NOT one of those recipes ...unless you count the whole wheat flour which I guess is still a health "upgrade" :).  This cookie (according to Jeff) was the best I have ever made.  Now, that is coming from the guy who enjoys and prefers my healthier treats, so he may be a bit out of touch with how normal cookies taste, haha.  But regardless, he seriously loved them and friends at the office also concurred they are super yummy, so I thought they were worth sharing. :)

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla (I used Mexican vanilla)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
2 cups whole wheat flour (or your preferred baking flour)
2 3/4 cups oatmeal
2 cups milk chocolate chips (I used these this time and loved 'em!)

Directions:

Cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy (at least one minute). Add baking soda (I always use fresh baking soda to ensure the best baking results), baking powder, and salt (if using unsalted butter) and mix. Add flour, oatmeal and chocolate chips. Mix with wooden spoon until combined (nice little arm workout). Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Tips:

• The batter is very thick.  I washed my hands extra well and "molded" each cookie into the shape I wanted it to come out as (so if you roll it into a ball and bake it, it'll come out as a ball - so I balled them up then flattened them a bit into the size I preferred).
• I use the air cookie sheets and after removing from the oven, let the cookies sit for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.  Because I like the inside of my cookies soft, I bake mine only until slightly golden on the outside - but that means the inside sometimes is a bit soft.  So letting it sit lets it harden up on the outside.  You may get a gooey, falling apart cookie if you transfer too soon.

Now get a a cold glass of your favorite milk and enjoy...yum! :)

Favorite Things Right Now

I don't know about you, but I just LOVE getting tips and recommendations on things that other people love.  It is such a great way to share awesome finds, advice, and really anything you love that you think others might love!

So here is my current list of favorite things I am loving right now:

1.  My Nike Lunarfly cross-training gym shoes.  

Story behind this is that I wanted a shoe for the gym when I wasn't running - so for anything else I might be doing at the gym: elliptical, stairs, spin, weights, classes, etc.  I wear the heck out of my running shoes and want to use them for just that...running only (plus they are pretty dirty and ugly after so many miles on the trail).  Nothing a like a cute pair of gym shoes to get you motivated!

2.  Maybelline's new FIT me foundations (my shade right now is 220)

I seem to buy my make-up in cycles...where I go from purchasing high end make-up then reverting back to buying the oh-so-convenient and sometimes surprisingly great drug store make up brands.  This, on my skin at least, is a jewel!  I love the color, it lasts most of the day with no reapplication, not too thick (no cakeiness here) but provides good, even coverage, and looks great in photos!  Cheap as can be and so many shades to pick from!

3.  Paul Mitchell's Extra-Body Sculpting Foam

  

Okay, so I know this isn't a new product or anything, but for me it is.  I am a shampoo and conditioner only type of gal and that is literally all I use in my hair on a regular basis.  I have never been great with styling products, but picked up a little sample bottle of this the other day to attempt for more volume on some of my curling iron styles...and my verdict is A+!  I got the extra body and my hair held the curl for two days (to clarify that statement, I styled my hair on a Sunday evening and it held through Tuesday evening until I went running)!  I also liked it because my hair was still so soft and brushable which is very important to me.

4. Benefit's One Hot Minute "sexy in seconds" face powder

I wouldn't describe this as a bronzer, but more of a finishing powder.  Once I've finished my make-up, I sweep this awesome little number all over my face lightly and focus on the cheeks, nose and forehead.  Basically it gives you that "glow" and I just love it.

5. Eucerin's Calming Body Wash

 Great for that dry, winter weather skin, without an oily residue and without clogging pores (at least in my case).  I have pretty sensitive skin when it comes to lotions and soaps and I love this one (and all their lotions are just as great)!  It actually lathers up as well which is nice. 

6. Twitter!

 Yes, I am loving me some twitter right now!  I love being connected to people of my choosing and being able to post my random thoughts, ideas, and day to day randomness in short little blurbs; additionally I can reply to specific people (almost like tagging them in my blurb) or respond to a group blurb - I think it is pretty cool!  Previously I had been a pretty active user of facebook, but at this point feel like it's a little too much now and have been slowly not using it quite as much.  Twitter really is only fun if you have other friends on it to communicate with - that is what makes it interesting and worth tweeting for! ;)

And those are my favorite things right now!  I'd love to hear yours!

Happy Valentine's Day

"A hundred hearts would be too few
to carry all my love for you."

~Author Unknown

I love you Jeff May with my whole heart and more.

Jeff and I celebrated Valentine's Day a day early on Sunday this year.  I had thought about doing a dinner at home (since this was my year to plan the date for us), but couldn't bear not doing something a bit special for our first Valentine's as husband and wife.  We had dinner at Stella Sola in our neighborhood, the Heights, and it was awesome.  Loved the atmosphere and loved the unique dishes.  I highly recommend it!  We had a lovely evening and I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful husband and best friend.

We celebrated a day early because it is "busy season" in Jeff's auditor world, so we assumed he would be working late on the actual day itself.  Well lucky for us most everyone left early, so we were able to have an at home Vday dinner too!  

Some may deem this a "hallmark holiday", but to me I think it is the perfect time to focus even more on your love for your significant others and family; make those that you love feel even more special and loved.

To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides. 

-David Viscott

2011 OPI Nail Polish Swap!

Meredith over at the Sweet T Family Blog hosted an OPI Nail Polish Swap for Spring 2011!

I thought it was such a great idea and really loved being a part of it!

I was partnered with her sweet sister Megan and sent her my favorite pink right now, Strawberry Margarita!  It isn't too "neon" but still bright and pretty - I love it!  

(It is what I wore on my toes for our wedding/honeymoon because Jeff loves pink on my toes/nails (yes, he does actually have an opinion about those things, haha.  Love him and his eye for detail!)

Photo courtesy Amazon

And Megan sent me an awesome new color from the OPI Texas Edition

San Tan-tonio!  I love it!  An awesome darker tan color, plus I can rep my man's hometown!

Looks like my current manicure needs an update...think I'll know which color I'll be using! :)

Holiday Partaaays!

This holiday season was full of a few great holiday parties that I just had to share!

First off, we attended the Stansell's Dirty Santa Party - this theme was my favorite!  Everyone brought their drink of choice, a side dish/appetizer/or dessert that began with the letter of their last name, and a funny gift for the "dirty santa" gift exchange.  The gifts were hilarious...everything from a shake weight to used DVDs, to a pimp cup margarita glass that was very popular.  Like most gift exchanges, there was an option to steal each gift up to two times which made it even more fun.  We took champagne for our beverage of choice and muffins for our treat contribution. :)

 

The same night as the Dirty Santa party, we also attended our friend's annual ugly sweater party.  Unfortunately because the two parties fell on the same night, we did not partake in the ugly sweater theme this year (another reason why is because last year Jeff and I went to six different stores, goodwills, etc to find sweaters with hardly any luck or selection...wasn't really up for that this year haha).  Unfortunately didn't get any pictures at the house party portion of this party, but the party moved to Blue Moose on Washington and here are good pics from the night:

Allen and his great ugly sweater get-up

non ugly sweater couple #1

 Ran into sweet Marci!

 Chris, Jeff, and Allen

 non-ugly sweater couple #2 Lexi and Chris

 ugly sweater dance party :)

The very next night was Jeff's company's holiday party at the Corinthian downtown.  It was beautiful and really a good time...any girl loves getting dressed up and Jeff picked out my beautiful little gold dress - loved it!

On the balcony

Ice sculpture and drink mixer...

I love you

Another Christmas tree pic...we originally took our first at Jeff's company's holiday party in Austin in 2007...check it out below:

2010

2007 flashback :)

The next weekend was my company's holiday party at the amazingly delicious Eddie V's in City Centre.  I had the awesome opportunity of coordinating this event, and loved every moment!  Great wine, champagne, seafood towers, and more...it was a great night!

My handsome husband and I...LOVE my blue shoes still (you can read the story on my search here)

Jacci and I at the party :)

We attended two holiday parties in San Antonio while visiting Jeff's family.  One was a "wine and cheese" theme that Jeff's friend Trevor hosts annually.  I ran into an old friend randomly from high school there who just so happened to know some of Jeff's friends - small world!  I must have been having too good of a time because I got no pictures from this party.  The 2nd was hosted by Jeff's good friend from high school Mike, at his new house.  Here are a couple pics from that fun party/night out - I love seeing Jeff with all his old friends; makes me so happy...

Eric, Mike, and Jeff

 just us again

 Don't mind Mike..he is wearing that hideous sweater on purpose haha - and their facial expressions, that is just part of their humor.  Jeff's old friends are so funny to be around, always making me laugh. :)

Lastly, the BEST holiday celebration each season is New Years Eve.  This year we actually did not go skiing in Breck like the past three years, so we decided to attend a real NYE party in our favorite city - Austin, Texas.  Abel's on the Lake was just awesome.  Open bar, great food, live band, and DJ upstairs.  Abel's is right next door to Hula Hut, which unfortunately caught on fire that night from a spark from the fireworks show.  It was crazy to see so close and boy did it make leaving that party mighty difficult (streets were all closed off)!  Hula Hut is still open though and doing just fine...you can read about it here.

Lexi and I at the pre-party

 Chris and Lexi

 love

 best friends, Jeff and Ross

 Here's to another wonderful year!

 And that was our holiday party season in a nutshell...not too shabby and always so fun spending so much time with good friends!