Most Awesome Pumpkin Cookies

So I know that summer is just beginning but the kids and I were in a baking mood the other day and these pumpkin cookies were calling my name! One hours and a few messes later, we had the most AWESOMELY DELICIOUS pumpkin cookies. Not only were they delicious, but I made them Gluten Free too!

PS - They are neighborhood kid tested and approved! The kids loved them so much that they were begging for more!

mmm!

Here we go...

Pumpkin Cookies

1C shortening (I didn't have any so I used butter)
1C sugar
1 egg
1C pumpkin
1tsp vanilla
2C flour (I used a gluten free flour)
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp baking soda
pinch of salt (pretty sure I skipped the salt)

I added a small amount of nutmeg and cloves even though the ingredients don't call for them.

Directions:
Cream shortening and add sugar and eggs; beat well. Add pumpkin and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool then add frosting. Makes 25-30 cookies. (side note: I thought they would flatten/smooth out while baking but they didn't. How you plop them on the baking sheet is how they'll bake. Hence, my lopsided looking cookies.)

Frosting

1Tbs butter
2Tbs milk
1/4C brown sugar
powdered sugar
vanilla to taste (I probably added 2Tbs)

Directions:
Melt together butter, milk, and brown sugar. (I microwaved for 15seconds at a time until brown sugar was dissolved.) Add in vanilla. Stir in powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. (I felt like I was adding a TON of powdered sugar).

SOOO delicious! The cookies had just the right hint of pumpkin and the super sweet frosting balanced it out perfectly.

Why yes, that is a half eaten cookie sitting there. I just couldn't wait to take a taste! These cookies were great with or without the frosting. I'm not a huge fan of sweet sweet stuff so I left some unfrosted and ate those too.




And like I said, the family loved them and it even had the neighborhood kids coming back asking for more. These pumpkin cookies didn't last more than two days in this house. Gone, just like that.

Noah - 2 Months

Where has the time gone little man?! You are now two months old and growing fast. We all love you so much and hope you know that. Alena and Christian are trying very hard to play with you and it won't be long before you'll be running around making trouble with them.

Weight - 11.6 lbs  You've been gaining 2lbs a month for the past two months.

Height - 23in

Appearance - You just keep GROWING! Getting bigger and chubbier all the time. We love it! Most people think you look just like Christian and some say Daddy.

Eating - You have started to space out your daytime feedings a little. You nurse a lot, just not quite as often as before. You wake up twice a night and eat.

Sleeping - You still love to cuddle while sleeping. I figured out right after your 1 month post that you like to be on your belly to sleep. Now you will nap for 2-3 hours at a time. You have no problems sleeping at night. I sleep next to you so neither of us really have to fully wake up during the night. You still prefer to be in bed around 9pm but will sleep with either mommy or daddy holding you until we make our way to the bedroom.

Sizes - You are in size 1 diapers but I see you growing out of those by your next monthly post. You can wear 0-3 month clothes but they fit very tight if you have a cloth diaper on. I can't believe that you can wear 3 month clothes already!

Milestones - On Monday, May 27th, you had your first camping trip to Patagonia Lake and did very well.

On Monday, June 10, you started "talking" back to us. We said something to you and then you would smile and talk back. You love when daddy does it with you.

You went to the movie theater for the second and third time this past month to watch Epic and Man of Steel. You do so good and like to watch all the colors and movement of the screen. You got a little bit scared at Man of Steel during the loud parts but I nursed you and you got past it just fine.

You hold your head up exceptionally well. I had another mother comment that you hold your head better than her three month old.

Noah, you are such an easy baby to care for and we love you to pieces! You are a very happy baby and only cry when something is wrong. I can't wait to see as you become more interactive but not too fast, OK?

Likes - nursing, being held, being worn in the mei tai, and when we talk to you
Dislikes - dirty diapers, having to wait for anything (diapers, eating, and being picked up), being in your car seat for more than 15min

Happy Father's Day

To an amazing multi-talented man that I am lucky to call mine and the kids are lucky to call Dad.

Storyteller...

Puppeteer...

A comfortable shoulder for naptime...

Master Barbie hair detangler...

Provider...

Builder...

Jungle gym...

Devoted family man...

All mine.

Wordless Wednesday

Is there anything sweeter than a sleeping baby?

Memorial Not Quite Weekend

While most people celebrated Memorial Day on the weekend from Friday to Monday, we did things a little different.

We wanted to go camping, but since there is pretty much ONE good lake around here, we knew it would be packed to the max. So we decided to avoid the crowds and go from Monday to Wednesday. So much better! There was still plenty of people there but the throngs of families and teens were gone. Most of what was left were older retired couples so it was quiet and the kids could ride their bikes without fear of getting hit by crazy drivers.

Monday started off rough with a dead battery in the RV that needed replacing. After we got the RV started, a pipe in the sink decided to burst! There was water spraying out into the RV so what do you know... another trip to the store to replace that. We got it fixed and go figure the generator that would power the fridge and air conditioner on the way up wouldn't start! ARGH! We decided to forgo getting that fixed since the RV could still drive and that was most important.

We left around 5pm (we wanted to be there at 2!) but the 1-1 1/2 hour trip took us over 2 hours! Something was pulling power from the battery as we drove so the brand spanking new battery died THREE times on the way up there! Thank God Gabe thought to bring the portable car charger and we were able to make the trip. Talk about a horrible way to start a vacation!

Tuesday was a great day. We had a late breakfast and then dessert from the shop there. Dessert after breakfast is perfectly acceptable on vacation. :) The kids had been begging us to go swimming so the beach was our next destination. Gabe took the kids to the water while I stayed in the shade with Noah.

Lake in the desert with mountains as the backdrop.

Noah fell asleep so I folded a towel and put him on the picnic table. That gave me a chance to actually READ! Yes, read a book! I rarely make time or get to read.

After swimming, we headed back to eat lunch and start on dinner. The kids rode their bikes and relaxed a little in the air conditioning of the RV. When dinner was done and cleaned up, we went for an evening walk. It was a little later than I wanted so I didn't get the good sunset pics I was hoping for.

The last minute before darkness set in.

We spent the next morning packing up and getting everything ready to leave. It was much hotter that day but I wanted to go on one more walk/bike ride. It was a quick walk and I got some cute photos of the kids on this really tall and steep bridge over the lake.

The next photos were taken from the top of the bridge.

Our shadows. From left to right, Alena, Christian, myself, and Gabe (holding Noah).

Yes, my husband babywears and I love it!

Where the sunset picture was taken from the previous night.

Once we were ready to go, we strapped the kids into their seats and they were all out before we could even start!

We were not moving yet and I did adjust Noah's straps before going. I wanted to get the picture in case he woke up.

I'd say after a rough start, our mini vacation turned out pretty good! And the RV made the trip home without any problems!