Snickerdoodles & Such

We have been up to a whole lotta nothing. It's too hot to go outside, and by hot I mean it's 118, but who's counting after 110? We try not to venture out too often in the heat of the day which leaves us with a lot of creative indoor activities.

Kamryn has had several playdates this week. I spent hours on the phone with our insurance company trying to argue the point that Owen needs Viagra and it's not for recreational use. They also don't want to pay for his feeding pumps, oxygen or supplies anymore. I was told he doesn't qualify for medicaid because he's too ill and considered an acute care patient. It's me vs the system and I say bring it on!

During these many wasted hours on speakerphone, Owen has learned to get into mischeif. He discovered that his teeth are not only for eating, but biting. He'll cuddle up to me, give me a hug and then lay into me with his chompers! He's also very vocal lately and there is no question that he wants attention and now, please. Our baby is becoming a toddler.

Back to the topic of so much time indoors and not a whole lot to do. We were bit by the baking bug again today. I love to bake. I just have to be smart and bake things that I don't like. If chocolate is not a main ingredient, I won't eat it. So, to save me an extra hour of working out (let's pretend that I do in fact workout), we made snickerdoodles today. This was the first time I gave Owen the beater. He had no idea what to do with it at first, but he's catches on quickly.
He scooted over to Kamryn and pinched her on the back of the legs for attention. That's another habit he's picked up over the last few weeks. Pinching, or the pinch-scratch, he knows how to get a reaction from you.

Sis is a sucker and stuck him up on the counter to help her roll the dough in cinnamon sugar. This was not at all messy and I am not still stepping in sugar granules after mopping my kitchen floor.

Snickerdoodles are one of Kamryn's favorites. I'm pretty sure it said it would make 48 cookies, but after eating sugar dough, we only got 30 cookies out of the batch. I can never make the amount the recipe calls for.

Warm snickerdoodles, fresh from the oven. Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy in the middle. Owen even ate a few bites.

Snickerdoodle Recipe

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp cream of tarter

1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp white sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream together butter, shortening, and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend flour, soda, salt, and cream of tarter. Add dry ingredients to wet ones. Shape dough into rounded balls. Mix the white sugar and cinnamon together and roll dough in mixture. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Don't eat too many, this may come as a surprise, but they are not the slightest bit good for you!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is the face Owen makes when you take the laptop away from him. The only thing he ever wants to play with is the laptop. I'm pretty sure I had the best idea this week when I actually considered selling all his toys and buying him a laptop. He'd actually want to play with it and think of all the space it would free up in my family room. Just an idea.

On a totally random note... I have been taking the free photoshop class through jessicasprague.com and I am in love. I have PSE7 and I know how to do basic photo editing and some graphic design. I have never really understood how to do muliple layers, texturing and borders on my photos. This I learned today. I obviously have lots of playing around to do, but it will have to wait until Mr Mischeif goes to bed.
I am happy that Owen feels good enough to get into trouble. I am happy (sometimes not so happy)that he is biting, pinching, and yelling because it means he is feeling well and that he knows what he wants. I am happy that Kamryn has three more weeks of summer break before she has to go back to school. I am thrilled that Carson just got home from work so that I can go get a pedicure and some much needed me time.