Forced Blog Redesign

So this morning I woke up and to my horror I noticed that my background image was GONE on my blog. Completely gone.

(insert whines and cries here)

Recently Google has been making changes to google reader, Gmail and more, and I'm not certain if these changes effected my blog, but for a while it's been acting kinda funny. It was either that, or MORE LIKELY Cox members site problem where I was hosting all my images. Either way, it was time for a fix.

So, I've pretty much spent all day neglecting my kids working on this blog to get it back in shape.

It's still a work in progress, but I'm liking what I'm seeing. I decided to run a test post because my signature seemed to not be working either, (probably has nothing to do with the fact that the image is a "borrowed" image...ahem...) so (fingers crossed)...hoping it works.

My Napkin Rings

Anyone that knows me knows we are not people that try to be overly fancy come party time. We try to maintain a nice relaxed atmosphere in our home, and we ALWAYS want our guests to feel comfortable. It's usually grab the Solo cup, put your name on it with a sharpee and then, get your paper plate and fill it with food.

I'm still pretty much that way, but when it comes to our home, except for Holidays. Come holiday time I like to pull out the nice plates, my mothers fancy cups, and set the table really cute. Sill doesn't mean that I know which fork is the proper salad fork, it just means I like things to look pretty.

This year I decided to add some nice napkins to our collection and do some cute napkin ring holders on my Thanksgiving table.  I got a few comments that they were cute, so I thought I'd share how I made them.

I ran across these on Pinterest (of course) from BHG.com and wanted to make them.

Problem was that it was kinda late into the year to find the acorns and get them in condition in time.

Then I ran across these at Hobby Lobby.

$4.99 at 50% off due to Christmas decor sale that week

I figured they were small enough that they make work in lieu of the acorns.

I didn't have any rings, so I took old paper towel and toilet paper holders and cut them up like so:

Then I spray painted them with Krylon Caramel metallic spray paint.

I got all my fall leaves at Hobby Lobby the Monday before Thanksgiving.  All the fall decor and foliage was 90% off.  It pays to wait till the last minute sometimes.

I cut all the leaves off the vine, so they would be easier to spread and glue like I wanted.

Then I got out my hot glue gun and went to work, gluing down some leaves, some twigs, and some pine cones.

I think they turned out super cute!

For the first few I went ALL the way around with the pine cones, I decided to not do that later.

The best part, they were inexpensive.  All together with my pine cones, leaves and pumpkins, spray paint, plus candles and dollar store vases, I spent less than $30 on all my decorations.

I just spread the rest of the leaves and pine cones on the table.

My spray painted pumpkins looked great against my new dining room walls!

Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ever since I became a mom and started baking, I wanted to make sure that I had the most awesome cookie recipes around. Thanks to the Akin Family Cookbook, I mastered peanut butter cookies, and oatmeal raisin cookies, but I could NEVER seem to get chocolate chip cookies just right.

I was becoming a bit nutty, kinda like Monica on "Friends" (yes, I relate to Monica the most, I am SOOOOO Monica). Oh come on, you've all seen the episode where Monica wants to be the mom who makes the BEST chocolate chip cookies?

I tried everything, Paula Deen, Emeril, and yes even Nestle Toll House (insert Phoebe's French voice here "Neslee TOOL Haus")

I had given up. I would just succumb and buy the store bought cookie dough. I would not be the mom who made the worlds best chocolate chip cookies.

Then I found it. It was in a little green recipe card holder, on one of those 3 x 5 cards, in my mom's handwriting. I happened upon it by mistake. I had NO idea that it was in there. All these years it was right under my nose, and I didn't even know it.

I should have known it though, anyone that knew my mom, knew that she was a fantastic baker. It was HER thing during the holidays. Even though I miss her SO much that she has gone on to be with the Lord, I'm so glad that I have some of her heritage to pass down to my kids.

My mom and I baking during the Holiday season.

Now, I'm going to share that recipe with you.  Why?  Because it's Christmas, we are all baking, and I've decided to start sharing some of my favorites with you all.  This is what I'm making today for a class party tomorrow.

Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 12oz package chocolate chips

Cream together the shortening, sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Spoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 10-12 minutes.

*Disclaimer, the batter will seem unusually greasy.  It's the shortening, but the come out fine, I promise.  Also mass consumption of delicious chocolate chip cookies MAY cause your waistline to expand.  You have been warned ;)

I promise you, they are amazing.  The secret all along is the shortening.  It just makes them light and fluffy.  Butter doesn't compare at all.  In fact, my oldest daughter who LOVES to bake used up all my shortening in the house.  I currently have all the ingredients measured out on my counter as I type this, but I refuse to substitute, so I'll be heading to the store in a bit to purchase some shortening!

Also greasing the cookie sheet is a MUST, any other time I made cookies and didn't grease the sheet, they stuck to the cookie sheet and were ruined.

I hope you try the recipe and I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!