Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

i found this recipe via pinterest, i have always loved oatmeal cookies.  when i had scotti i was doing some research to keep up my milk supply and learned that- oats, peanut butter, brewers yeast and chia seeds are all great for boosting your supply! this recipe doesn't call for brewers yeast or chia seeds but i add them anyways. they are soft and chewy.... just how i like my cookies.  i made a batch for our lake powell trip and literally ate 6 cookies.  so much for losing my baby weight right?? you can find the recipe here, but i will also add it down below. let me know if you try them out!!

soft & chewy peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

yield: 13 medium/large cookies

prep time: 10 minutes

cook time: about 11 - 12 minutes

ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
• heaping 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 large egg + 1 yolk (discard extra white or save for another use)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats (not instant or quick cook)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips (white chocolate or butterscotch chips may be substituted)

directions

To a large, microwave-safe bowl add the butter, peanut butter, and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute. Stop to check and stir. Heat in 15-second increments until mixture can be stirred smooth.

Wait momentarily before adding the egg and yolk so you don't scramble them. Add the egg, sugars, vanilla, and whisk until combined. It's okay if mixture is slightly granular

Add the oats and stir to combine.

Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and stir to combine; don't overmix. Dough is fairly thick.

Add the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and stir to incorporate.

Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form approximately 13 equal-sized mounds of dough, roll into balls, and flatten slightly. Tip - Strategically place a few chocolate chips on top of each mound of dough by taking chips from the underside and adding them on top.

Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading. Dough is a bit on the oily side before chilling and becomes less oily as it chills.

Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for about 11 to 12 minutes (for very soft cookies, longer for more well-done cookies), or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center; don't overbake. Cookies firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don't use a rack.

Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

Olive Says

olive is two years and two months old. time is flying. just the other day i said to dave,  can you believe we have two kids??? i've dreamt of being a momma my whole life... but i never thought the day would actually come, ya know?

olive is our whole world. and she is quite the talker, and you know what? i love it! olive says,

+ daddy's comin? grandma's comin? rachel's comin? toby's comin? sammi's comin?

+ damn it. (guilty. insert ashamed emoji here)

+ loves singing- head, shoulders, knees and toes | twinkle twinkle little star | itsy bitsy spider | a whole new world | love is an open door

+ i have an idea!! followed by, two minutes or 1, 2, 3, 4

+ loves to say her prayers-  heavly father, food, amen!


+ i don't know!

+ scotti girl!!! hiiiii!! did you wake up?? also, scotti you rolled on your back and tummy! (insert high pitched little girl voice)

+ what color is this?

+ mom! dad! watch!!

+ help me! help me!

+ it's mines, it's ours.

What I'm Loving As of Late

being a stay at home mom, i have lots of time on my hand to browse the internet. sometimes it bothers dave because i am always finding new things that i say that i need. it’s always fun to day dream right? as of late, here are a few things i am loving….

+ my FitBit.  i purchased a fitbit just after having miss scotti.  i wanted something to motivate me to keep me active. and the fitbit does just that.  i have yet to get back into my exercise routine- but having a stepping, mile & calorie goal keeps me from just sitting on my rear all day. i lost it for a few weeks (or i guess i should say, olive hid it) but it has been found and i am back to keeping track of all my steps!

+ my contigo water bottles. i have never consumed so much water in my life than i have the last 5 months! my contigo water bottle helps me keep that water that i so desperately need while breast feeding in me.  i try to have 4-5 of my 24 oz bottles a day. i have the pink, blue and purple colors. i always say- if you have something cute to drink from you're more likely to drink more!!  it works for me, maybe it will work for you!
+ pineapples. pineapple clothing and accessories, pineapple fabric, pineapple flavor, just pineapple everything.

+ maybelline fit me foundation. i switched to a liquid foundation about a year and a half ago.  i had always worn a powder. but you know, when you have a new baby- you want a change.  so i switched up my make-up routine, chopped my hair… you know got a new look.  i have gone through so many different brands. but right now i am loving this maybelline fit me foundation.

+ french toast crunch.  i feel like i grew up eating this cereal. but can’t quite pin point the memory? i saw them at target a few weeks back and had to snag a box. i later learned they were a limited edition and stocked up on them at costco.  needless to say, we are almost out. (insert monkey emoji with hands covering mouth)

+ blogs. blogs, blogs, blogs. i have always loved blogs. updating my own, reading and following others. but i am on a blog high lately.  here are a few of my favs….  afternoon style , the mrs. and momma bird , love courtney lee & munday mornings

+walking. we recently purchased a double stroller- so we (as in i) have been trying to use it as much as possible. although i probably should pull that baby out more.  legacy parkway trail is at the end of our community, so i like to take the girls for a walk in the mornings.  there is a park that we like to stop at along the way to give the girls a break and then we make our way back home. it gets us out, gets us moving and gives us some vitamin d.

+ also, these shops…. northern loom clothing, mindy mae's market, ivy city co, & contagious boutique.

+ oh and of course the three most important humans in my life. they are always at the top of my list!!

Mueller Park Canyon

the girls and i, along with my mom and sister rachel took a little trip up the canyon for a picnic lunch! olive loved walking the trail with toby and looking at the water, that apparently nemo was in.  we'll have to go back with daddy and roast marsh mallows!! mmm!

(i had to post this outtake, because look how ADORABLE scotti is!!!!)

Bountiful Parade

Bountiful always does a parade on the 23rd of july, and we went every year growing up. it was nice because we lived on the corner- we never had to deal with traffic (or too much walking). i took olive by myself last year, pregnant and sick as a dog.  but i knew she would enjoy it. i also knew she probably would enjoy it even more this year- but the idea of chasing around a 2 year old and taking care of scotti by myself did not sound pleasant. so i made dave come. :) olive was in heaven as i anticipated. she loved all the candy, horses, cars, and music. and we didn't have to do too much chasing.

after the parade, we hung out at Eggett's house and watched Bountiful's fireworks from the front lawn. olive always has so much fun with all her cousins- i could barely keep track of her! it makes my heart so happy to see her happy. i love watching the fireworks from my in laws because we can just hang out afterwards and skip all the traffic! another successful 23rd of july ;)

Scotti's First Accident

I was hoping this day would never come, or at least wait a few years. but it happened. Monday, around 5:30 i was finishing up the last few touches on a few bows I was making for my niece. i was in a hurry and scotti was fussy. so i decided to just hold her while i glued the hair clip to the bow with a hot glue gun. i luckily accomplished one without any injuries so i kept going.... which i shouldn't have.  i had just put a good amount of fresh hot glue on the clip when scotti reached for it and burned her finger. of course i dropped everything, rubbed the hot glue off her little perfect fingers and rinsed them under cold water. scotti was crying, i was crying and olive- confused and scared was crying. you know, as mom's we all make mistakes every single day. some little and some big. and we beat ourselves up for it. i feel absolutely terrible. but i also feel like an idiot. so don't judge me!!! it was common sense, i shouldn't have been holding scotti in the first place. but i was and i learned my lesson. i still cry and apologize to her every single day since then.

(monday night)

unfortunately we hadn't paid our phone bill just yet, so my phone was shut off and dave was working. i tried to Facetime him, with no answer i texted him about ten times. "babe. call me back. please. i did something really stupid. please call me back". as i was frantically running around the house trying to figure out what to do, olive right at my feet said, "mom! what happened?!" as she is hysterically crying. :( Dave finally called back and was already on his way home.  luckily, my sister in law is a nurse and worked at primary children's so she walked us through what to do.

it is looking a little bit better today (two days later), julie actually came by and helped me clean, scrub and re-bandage it today.  our little scotti girl is a trooper!!  don't be dumb like me, don't hold your infant (or toddler) while using a hot glue gun!! :)

(two days later)

What's On The Grill?

(as close to a smile as i could get!!)

(dave was walking around the backyard on the phone, so olive had to run into the house to grab her phone. unfortunately I didn't get a good picture of her following daddy around on her pink phone).

we've really been into grilling this summer- steak, hot dogs and burgers. it's a fun little way to get outside as a family!! plus it's an easy dinner! we all love it! and clearly, i forgot about the hot dogs.