The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

Did that title make you think...not another chocolate chip cookie recipe? Yup, that's what I thought. But Cheryl over at the Tidy Mom blog said you just have to try these! So I did. They truly are the BEST chocolate chip cookies ever! She said not to change a thing on the directions and instructions so I didn't but I did use dark chocolate chips. Jerry ate two right out of the oven and I had to basically hide the rest so he wouldn't keep going!
Tell me you're going to give them a try. And yes, I'll share some more with Jerry.

Self-Portrait

I am still working on Project 52--taking a themed photo each week for a year and posting here and on the Life with My 3 Boybarians blog. This week's theme was a self-portrait. Yuck, I thought. Who wants to take pictures of themselves? Not me! But then I remembered that I did take some pictures of myself last summer. I was just fooling around with my new camera trying out the self-timer feature. I had intended to delete them off my computer and of course, forgot. So here is my entry for this week. (Funny how we can be complimentary to others, but not ourselves.)

Hey Girl

I'm a little late getting in on the Ryan Gosling "Hey Girl" craze.  I decided to have some fun with Gathered From the Garden and Ryan anyway.

(I had so much fun with the pictures using Picnik. I am so very sorry to see that they are leaving us in April! )

For a great selection of Hey Girl pics and incredibly witty remarks check out Sasha's website.

75 Free Valentine Printables

This is such a treasure trove of free Valentine printables put together by Craftionary! You'll have a hard time deciding which ones not to print!

Like this incredibly cute angel!

Or this gorgeous framed Valentine saying.

Love, love this romantic card. (sigh)

I think I need to run to Michael's for more cardstock and frames!! Which one is your favorite? Got a special idea how you are going to use them?

Wordless Wednesday

Two more buds opened today. This plant is now three years old and still blooms for me!

I'll Drink To That

Sometimes don't you just get a little weighed down by life? I know I do. So I was tickled to come across this website that matches the music you are listening to with a drink suggestion. Just what the doctor ordered! A little relaxation and libation. Type in a musician or band, and you'll get a cocktail recipe from Drinkify to pair it with. What'll it be?

Life is a Bowl of Cherries With My iphone

I just got a new iphone 4S and I LOVE it! I haven't figured everything out on it yet but it sure is fun learning. (My 4-year-old grandson has even helped me--how about that?!?) However, one of the things I was just a teensy weensy disappointed in is how hard it is to get a very loud sound with it using my docking station.


So imagine my delight when I read this post! Liz over at Design & Lifestyle has a great solution. You can put your iphone in a bowl and it somehow uses the acoustics in the bowl to amplify the sound. She even takes it in the bathroom and listens to her music while she showers.

So now I can have my music and cherries too! Well, actually I'll just take the music. Not such a big fan of cherries. Try it and see what you think...

Wordless Wednesday

A frosty morning in Minnesota.

Cupcake Nail Art

I know, I know, not another post on nail art. Maybe that should have been one of my New Year's Intentions...limit the posts on nail art. I just can't help myself...this is so darn cute! (and fairly easy).
Gloss and Glitz have a video and written instructions. Don't you just want to try it?!?!

Pamper Yourself in the Tub

A soothing soak is pure pleasure. Most of us don't take the time to enjoy this but it is a gentle way to initiate the day or a sumptuous send-off before going to bed. While a steamy bath feels soothing, be sure the water is not too hot, or you'll find yourself feeling tired and depleted afterwards. It's best to start with a warm bath and gradually add hot water as your body adjusts to the heat. When your bathwater starts to cool down, you'll want your environment to be warm and cozy, so maintain a comfortable room temperature that is pleasant for you.

A real treat would be a tub full of bubbles and a relaxing facial mask. Gathered has a great Clay Mask that will soften your skin and remove toxins.


These are some of the things to have on hand for that "Perfect Bath"

Candles
 1 cup of Epsom Salts (these help to soak away any muscle aches)
1 cup olive or almond oil (helps to soften the skin)
 4-5 drops of your favorite essential oil (swirled in the bath water before you step in or mixed with the olive oil)
A Portable CD Player
CD of your favorite music
A glass of Wine
A Good Novel
Fluffy Bath Towels

At Gathered we have some relaxing Herbal Bath Teas. Let the calming scent of lavender or the sensual scent of rose help to ease the day’s burdens. We have an oatmeal soak or a soda soak. Both come in a muslin bag to steep in the tub. $7.00 each   (You could use these instead of the olive oil but they could also be used with the Epsom Salts.)


Also, for baby we have “Sleepy Time” Baby Bath Teas. An herbal bath tea just for the little ones. Organic lavender, rose petals and chamomile. Not only does it calm baby, but also the one bathing baby!
$5.00 for 5 tea bags.

Here in MN it feels so good to soak in the tub after being outdoors on a cold, winter day! What do you need for your "Perfect Bath"?

Wordless Wednesday

Who's the party for?

Fooling Around With Slideshare

I found this new site called Slideshare. It lets you put together presentations pretty easily. I chose to do one of a few of Gathered's products. It did change the font on each of my slides. I'm not sure if I can change it back or not. This is definitely going to be a learning opportunity while having fun. (This is my first attempt at using Slideshare.)

Products powerpoint

View more presentations from cschroden

p52: Week 1 – Resolution

I am participating with Darcy over at My3boybarians. Each week, she will give us a photographic theme. This week's theme is resolutions. You know I'm not calling mine resolutions, but instead "intentions". With that in mind, here is my camera shot of that theme.

Eating healthy, reading for pleasure, running and using my camera.

What are your resolutions/intentions? What would your camera shot look like?

2012

I’m not such a resolution person, but one blog that I follow mentioned instead of making resolutions, she makes “intentions”, which I thought was a good idea.

So here are my “intentions” for 2012:

1. Read more just for pleasure. Reading on my computer or iphone does not count. I just ordered The Hunger Games Trilogy so that's a start.

2. Do something good for someone each day. I'd really like to be a blessing for those around me or a stranger, doesn't matter.

3. Limit my sugar intake. I saw a group of sisters were going to try this. 6 days of no sugar, 1 day of limited sugar. (If I break down and have those dark chocolate m & m's not a big deal right? It's an intention, not a resolution.)

4. Ramp up the sales of Gathered From The Garden products. While I love formulating and researching new products, I am not so fond of selling. However, the sales are what keeps Gathered going.

5. Spend more time with my daughters and granddaughters. There are a ton of girlie options we should be taking advantage of.

6. Try to keep clutter to a minimum--in my house, my car and my classroom. Also some deep-cleaning should probably be on my list too.

7. Eat more homemade. Got to be way healthier to not eat processed or take-out food. This will be a tough one just because of the time factor. I'll have to get organized and use my crockpot more often.

8. Use my new camera and lens every day or at least every other day.
So there you have it.
I like the “intention” idea because if and when these don’t happen I won’t feel too bad about myself…I never RESOLVED to do those things..I just intended to.
It’s always good to have an escape clause. :)

Are you a resolution person?  What's on your list?

'Twas The Month After Christmas