Moving On Up

In the hopes of improving my blog, I am moving. Not far. Just down the road to http://acupofkaydee.com/

Hope to see you there!

C Is For Cookie

Growing up, my mom and I made a great team when it came to baking cookies. I only enjoyed making the cookie dough because it was fun to mix ingredients, and sneak a bite of the yummy dough. I didn't like to bake the cookies because it always took to long to finish all the cookies. I wanted instant gratification. My mom on the other hand didn't mind splitting the duties as she liked to bake because it allowed her to do other things at the same time. Although it would frustrate her when she would have a tray of cookies on the counter waiting to go in the oven when just as she was ready to put the tray in, she would notice that there were a few balls of dough missing because my brother and I would have stealthily stolen them. =)

Well eventually every child must leave the comfort of their parents nest and start a nest of their own. So the mother and daughter baking team was broken up. For the last 5 years my mom and I have had the hardest time with our cookies. They never turn out right. My dough is always greasy and the cookies come out of the oven flat. I have tried a number of different things. I even took all my ingredients and cookie sheets over to my mom's to have her help me figure out what I was doing wrong. We came to the conclusion that it was because I was not mixing the dry ingredients separately, but instead everything all together. (I don't remember having to do that when I was younger.) So back home I went feeling like my next batch would turn out just fine. It didn't. So then I thought maybe it was my oven. But I have used a number of ovens because of the various moves we have done and the cookies still weren't turning out right. I have gone over and over the recipe with my mom and I'm using the right amount of ingredients. After discussing with my mom some more, I thought maybe I was because I was using the wrong kind of flour and for 1 batch of cookies I was fooled into thinking that was it. But the next batch went back to being greasy flat cookies. (Meanwhile, Jonathan doesn't mind one bit. He will still eat the cookies no mater what.) Today I decided to try again. This time I added a cup more flour than the recipe calls for and presto, cookies back to normal.

Dough not greasy +

Fluffy cookies =

Yummy soft goodness in my tummy.

So mom, add more flour and see if that helps you. And mom, I do miss our team effort.

Friday 13th

I'm not a superstitious person, but with the morning I have been having, I just might have to be. Lets see....where to begin. I left the house this morning to do my normal routine of picking up and dropping off of work when I realized I left my cell phone at home. Upon realization, I started dramatizing in my head every situation that might happen to me where I would need a cell phone, i.e. breaking down on the highway, flat tire, and car accident. Oh, and if any of those happened and someone would come to my rescue...they might abduct me. I have such a wild imagination. Next I hit a thunder and lightening storm and my car died...twice. First thought...my worst imagination is coming true. Second thought...$$$. Is it possible that because I was in a thunder and lightening storm, the lightening is the reason my car died?? Who knows. I got the car running again and continued on my way. At my next stop, I discovered that I have a huge nail in my front tire. Now, the nail in the tire I don't believe is related to Friday 13th. I think this is directly related to the Lord punishing me for leaving the church board meeting last night in a bit of frustration. (We are currently in a building project and there are many nails and screws that have been left in our parking lot.) But that is besides the point. I found it on Friday 13th, so it gets thrown into the bucket with everything else that has happened today. When I got home I was looking forward to getting some lunch and starting my work. Well, the garage door opener would not work. Not a problem, I will just go up to the garage door and type in the code and get in. That doesn't work either. Hmmm...odd. I will just use my key to get in the front door. Nope, that would be in the house because I forgot to put it back on my keys after leaving it for the house sitter while we were gone. No worries, I will just go over to the neighbors to get the spare. Nope, they are gone for the weekend. Okay, I will call my mom to have her drive 20 min. to let me in. No, I DON'T HAVE MY CELL PHONE and I don't want her to have to come all this way just to let me in. So what can I do?? I think I left 1 window open. Please Lord, let there be 1 window open. Yes, there is!! I climbed in to discovered the reason for the garage door not opening is because the electricity went out in the thunder and lightening storm. Thank goodness 15 min. later it came back on so I could share my lovely morning with you all. Does anyone have some chocolate because I sure could use some?

Heat Wave

We have had some hot weather the last 2 days. I think that we even broke a record yesterday, getting up into the triple digits in some places. I was so hot, there was fire between my skin and my clothes. It is times like these that I wish I wasn't working at home in a room with 2 computers and not much air circulation, but in a nice office with comfortable air conditioning. I shouldn't complain. I know it could be worse.

I thought I would share some photos from our trip of the cutest twin "girls", as I do have twin nephews. I just wanted to put them in my suitcase and bring them home with me. They are so adorable. I spent hours putting together this cute scrapblog thing set to music and stuff, but I just can't get it to upload to my blog. So if somebody knows how to do that, please help. For now, you will just have to enjoy the jpg's and hum a little ditty to yourself while you look at them.

Home Is Where My Bed Is

Every time we are away from home for a while, there is one thing I miss the most...my bed. We are home from Wisconsin and my bed and I have been reunited. Now we have to get back to the grind of life. My brain is too tired to write much today. So...until tomorrow.

Women Of Faith Weekend

I know it has been ages since I have posted anything. I just haven't felt like I had anything inspiring, interesting, funny, or worthwhile to post for my few, but dedicated, fans. Never fear, I am back, but only for a short while as we will be leaving on our nations Independence Day (what were we thinking??) for a quick visit to the cheese state (Wisconsin, for those of you who don't know which one that is).

I was in Seattle this weekend for the Women Of Faith conference. It was such a great time of singing, laughing, and encouragement. We even had a celebrity there. Amy from TLC's "Little People Big World". That was pretty cool. I didn't get to meet her though.

It was gorgeous the whole weekend and while we were on our breaks in between speakers, my camera got a good workout. I'm no professional, but I can dream.

Look at all the women of faith.

Fountain of Youth

Boys will be Boys

Caramel Apple, Yum!

Cute kid, not mine.



Even the older are young at heart.


Helping Hands



Pike Place Market

I've got my eye on you.

Keeping Up With The Joneses

I ventured outside today to do a little gardening. I hate gardening. I don't have a green thumb at all. When we were looking for a house, one of the things that was on my "must have" list was a big yard. I wanted to have room for entertaining and for future little Arndt's. The house we bought had the perfect yard. Some lawn in front with already beautifully planted flowerbeds and a huge yard in the back. We have been in the house 2 years now. The lawn is full of moss and the flowerbeds have been a pain to keep up. I'm pretty sure that our neighbors think that we are a disgrace to the neighborhood. Every spring I look out our front window and see all the neighbors out weeding and maintaining their yards, thinking to myself, I should probably get out there and do mine. Well I'm sure the neighbors were all on the phone with each other today saying "Look! Kaydee finally got her muffin top off the couch and is weeding her yard!". I am happy to say that the front is almost complete. My body hurts from hair follicles to toenails, but I made a dent in the yard and I am proud of it. Thank God that they can't see the backyard.