Neiman Marcus Cookies

This evening I finished my tradition of baking the famous Neiman Marcus Cookies. For those of you who don't know the story, the urban legend goes like this:

A woman finished her salad at a Neiman Marcus in Dallas and decided to have a small dessert. Because she was such a cookie lover, she decided to try the "Neiman Marcus cookie". It was so wonderful that she asked the waitress if they would give her the recipe. The waitress frowned and replied "I'm afraid not". So the woman asked if she could buy the recipe. The waitress said yes and that it would be "two fifty". "Ok" replied the woman. "Put it on my tab." A month later when she received her statement she noticed that the cookie recipe was in fact $250, not $2.50. After arguing with Neiman Marcus' accounting department, she said she would see to it that they never make another penny off of the recipe and that every newspaper and anyone with an e-mail address would had a copy of the recipe.

My mom found this recipe in the newspaper years and years ago (long before e-mail), and we've made them just about every Christmas. Nathan asks for them every year (and so does Santa). For those of you who haven't tried it, here's the recipe. They are to die for!

Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe(Recipe may be halved):
2 cups butter
4 cups flour
2 tsp. soda
2 cups sugar
5 cups blended oatmeal**
24 oz. chocolate chips
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated)
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)**

Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies.

Enjoy!

Catching Up

We have some posts to catch up on... and since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are some photos from the past few weeks:

We've been on nature walks...

We've checked out the 'little swimmy things' in Brushy Creek...

We've climbed trees...

We've helped Mommy with her booth...

And we've hung out together... a lot.

It's been a little chilly around here. Last week, we actually had a light dusting of snow. You can tell it's a rarity when it's photographed.

Jaron ate some 'pasgetti'. This is not normally newsworthy... it's just a sight to behold, isn't it?

I can't believe how busy things have been at Casa de Guajardo. We've only recently had a couple of free weekends. From the previous post, you can see that we've been 'on the road' peddling Scentsy candles like carnies and only had a free weekend last weekend. That's when we were finally able to take a breather and put up the Christmas tree.

Of course, Jeannie spent hours last Saturday making traditional tree decor by threading popcorn and dried cranberries together... HOURS. Trooper thought that it was a very nice gesture and didn't want to offend Mommy by not eating the special doggy treats that she took the time time to string up for him on the tree. I wish we had a picture but Jeannie was too mad to operate the camera... without throwing it at Trooper.

This past weekend, we stayed home and just enjoyed the weather (it was 76 degrees on Saturday and in the 30s on Sunday). On Saturday, we gave Jeannie a break and the boys and I went to the park to practice riding our bikes.

Joshua loves riding his bike and he was constantly way ahead of Jaron and me.

But in the end, both Jaron and Joshua were riding their bikes like pros.

The next day, we went out to eat lunch at Texas Roadhouse where Joshua insisted he could eat the peanut shell as well as the peanut inside...

I captured the moment...

That's it for now.

Fast Horsies

This weekend, Jeannie had her booth at the Sami Show and the venue was the Bell County Expo Center. Grandma kept the boys on Saturday (always the busier day) and then we all went up there for Sunday's show.

I didn't think there would be too much to entertain the kids with but figured we'd do some exploring around the grounds. Boy, was I wrong about there not being anything to see... the Expo Center was not only hosting the Sami Show but they were also hosting a barrel racing tournament.

Now, for Christmas, Joshua wants cowboys boots, Jaron 'just wants a cow' and I just want a horse... a brown and white one, please. :)

Oh, and this... (saw one of these there too)...

It's a scooter AND a cooler... I know.... you wish you had one, doncha? I'm getting one.

Don't hate the player.

What's that Hiding in the Cushions?

Let's take a closer look...

Buescher State Park Camping Trip

This past weekend we loaded down the van with the entire Guajardo clan (excluding Ivy) and headed down to Buescher State Park. We didn't really know what to expect since we'd never been there and I think we literally booked the last available campsite in all of Central Texas and the Hill Country for that weekend. I knew Buescher was a small park, no swimming, and I really couldn't find many pictures online to see what we had to look forward to. Besides, the only place we'd been camping as a family is Inks Lake and I don't think anything near here compares. Well, we were pleasantly surprised! Yes it was small, but completely shaded, full of huge oak and pine trees, quiet and peaceful. The downside was the mosquito infestation that we had to fight come nightfall, but overall, we enjoyed it. I think we really lucked out with our campsite. We arrived early enough that we could pick from several that were still available and I know we at least got the best one in our campground area...large, private and fully shaded!

Take a good look at this fancy new tent, cuz you'll never see it again! The space and comfort inside was NOT worth the pain and trouble it was to set-up and tear down! We've said our good-byes and have moved on...

We LOVED the canopy of trees over all of the trails!
Aren't they sweet??!!

Trooper enjoying the shade on a bed of fallen leaves.

Jaron with Mommy - taking a break from our bike-ride at the playground!

Joshua and Mommy hanging out at our campsite.
Jaron and Joshua being silly with Daddy!

ROAR!

I wish you all could hear Jaron's infectious Belly Laugh!

Of course, we're outdoors and when the nearest bathroom is a little ways away...well...boys will be boys...BUT, this was literally in wide-open view where anyone walking by could see. Here we are...the perfect Kodak moment - the one to save for ultimate total embarassement:

And now video for more future embarassment... Joshua doesn't want to play anymore because he "keeps getting boo boos" and Jaron picking his seat (as he almost always does) as he goes over to hug some trees.

Sami Show, Dell Diamond

I had a booth at the Dell Diamond this past weekend for my very first Sami Show. I was so nervous about how well we'd do there...did I have enough inventory, would I sell anything, would anyone even care to stop in?? Well, it was AWESOME and I can't wait for my next one! I'll be at the Bell County Expo Center in Belton on the 11th & 12th. I have at least 2 or 3 per month until the first week of December. I'm so excited! I was so proud of our booth...here are some pics!

Snoozin' on the Couch...shhhhh....

These two boys were so exhausted the other day that they were sound asleep on the couch by 8:30. We hadn't put them in pajamas, brushed their teeth or anything. We tried to wake them, but they were out! I worried someone would wake up in the middle of the night to go potty, but they slept until 8:00 AM! Don't you just love sleeping children? So peaceful and sweet...and quiet!

Joshua on his Big Boy Bike!

Last night Joshua finally got the courage to ride his big boy bike (with training wheels)! He was so proud of himself and we were so proud of him too!

What you all missed is right as I was turning off of the camera, he crashed into our fence and fell off of his bike...so, the first time on, he falls down and insists he'll never get back on again. He's still standing firm, so we'll see and keep you posted on the progress.

"From Pichi to ChooChoo"

Nathan and I have decided that it's time to begin a post of all of the memorable, silly, or funny sayings that have come from our boys' mouths. So, here goes:

Nathan: How much do Mommy and Daddy love you guys?
Joshua: (Without missing a beat) From Pichi to ChooChoo
Nathan: That's right.
(For those of you who don't know, Joshua has a knack for making up his own little language. He's done it since he started talking and he continues to make-up words everyday. It's fun and entertaining!)

Jaron: Mommy, you can pretend to be a dog, but just don't smell me.

Joshua: (While having a conversation about chicken nuggets at the dinner table, Joshua comes out with this) There's NO MONEY IN IT!

This list will be on-going, so check back for updates...

Scentsy

It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted. Preschool is in full-swing and the boys are loving it. We've been keeping busy for the past couple of weeks - Nathan's mom ("Momo") was in town for over a week. Her stay was extended due to Hurricane Ike possibly heading toward Corpus Christi. Just before she arrived I had a Scentsy party to kick-off the new Fall catalog. Most of you know by now that I started my own Scentsy business back in June and I wanted to post some pictures of my set-up for those of you who haven't been to a Scentsy Party yet or haven't seen Scentsy before. I really enjoyed myself and I think the guests did too. It's always so much fun to gather around the living room with a glass of wine, sniffing and sharing all of the scents. I also had a booth at the Bridal Extravaganza this past Sunday, which was tons of work but so worth it for the exposure and experience! I'll be at the Sami Shows this Holiday Season, so stop by and say hi if you happen to be there!

Backpacks & Lunch Boxes

For those of you who don't already know, we've decided to enroll the boys in preschool part-time, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-2. It is at HighHopes Preschool at HighPoint Fellowship Church. I'm so excited regarding EVERYTHING about this school and can't wait to see how the boys develop and learn as a result of what they are going to be exposed to. And, one final MAJOR milestone is the fact that for the first time in all of their four years, they will be in separate classes...apart from each other. This is a HUGE deal!

So, this morning I got up early to pack up their Lightening McQueen lunchboxes and backpacks...making sure to label everything. I was so caught up in the excitement of the first day of school and having a little bit of free time that I hadn't even thought about my own little butterflies that didn't decide to make themselves known until the minute I pulled into the parking lot. "Are you guys excited?", I asked. "YEAH!" "Are you a little bit nervous?" "No Mommy, are you?" "Uh...n-no...". Ok, so that wasn't completely true.

Thank goodness the separation part - leaving Joshua in his classroom and walking off with Jaron to take him to his, went really well. They hugged each other and each said they'd miss the other. It was precious and brought tears to my eyes. But then, they happily went on about their "Arrival Time Activity" ...and then I left. As soon as I walked out the door I had to fight back tears. Driving away, I was wiping the tears from my face. I mean, I know that we've done daycare and it's only been less than a year since they were there so this really shouldn't be anything new, but it's a milestone nonetheless and it means that my little boys are growing up. I will be on pins and needles until 2:00 this afternoon when I can hear all about their day. I can't wait!

Jaron enjoyed his 'pasgetti' at lunch

History in the Making

Last night Nathan and I sat and watched as history was made. We watched Barack Obama accept the nomination of President of the United States of America - the first African American to be nominated for president by a major political party in the U.S. As we watched, I couldn't help but get emotional as I saw the young black family who dressed themselves and their young children in their Sunday best to witness this historical moment or the black woman in her 60s who climbed all the way up to the top of Mile High Stadium to find her seat - a seat that she wouldn't have given up for the world to behold the most significant moment in her lifetime.

Thinking about last night's speech led me to post these few pictures from the Barack Obama Rally on Congress Avenue in February:

My friend Glynda and I, along with about 20,000 other people gathered on Congress Avenue to witness history-in-the-making. I thought it would be pretty cool...maybe we'd get there and at least be able to hear him from where we were standing...there will be microphones and speakers I'm sure. Maybe we'll even see a tiny spec of a person that we might be able to make out to be Barack Obama himself. Well, as you can see, our vantage point was actually pretty awesome. I remember thinking that night as we were leaving, "I may have just seen the future President of the United States in-person."

And here's a picture of our beautiful Capitol building with the "Change" banner.

TGIF

Last night, we visited the boy's preschool and met their teachers. For the first time, Joshua and Jaron will be in separate classrooms. Jeannie and I are hopeful that this will encourage them to make their own friends and to adjust to not having a shadow to play with at all times. We were told, though, that their classes will meet up for recess and music each day.

They've been at each other's side for a while... here in the 'glow worm' stage.

Their teachers (Ms. Becky and Ms. Susan) seem really nice and Jeannie and I feel good about it all. You know, we worried about Jaron adjusting to being in separate classrooms because of his SPD but it seems like in the usual manner of our kids relishing in the fact that they keep us guessing, it seems Joshua might have a harder time being away from his brother. Case in point: Last weekend when visiting a 'kind of new' church, it wasn't Jaron who pitched a fit in the kid's Sunday School. Oh no. It was Joshua who's name and ID number came up on the screen in the sanctuary meaning, 'Come get your kid, we don't want him'. He and I had a rather lengthy conversation and he finally understood that he wasn't going back to Sunday School that day. Once he realized that the alternative to being in kid's church was being in grown-ups church (where you had to actually sit still) it seemed he changed his mind. Too late.

Daddy: Now, why can't you go back to kid's church today?

Joshua: Because I 'blew it'.

Not a happy little lion.

Man, it has been a crazy week. At work, my coworker, Wendy, has accepted a transfer out to our California studios.

Wendy and I last Halloween; she was 'God's Gift to Men' and I was 'God's Gift to Women'. It was funny at the time, ok?

She's been doing Comp and Benefits so now I'll be taking over some of her responsibilities. I'm excited about the change from JUST doing Recruiting. Learning something new is fun for me so I'm enjoying it however, it is, nonetheless, a lot to learn. Fortunately, she's not leaving the company so all of her knowledge is a phone call or IM away. At the same time, I'm showing her everything she ever wanted to know (and then some) on the Recruiting side. We both have jokingly said (more than once) that we wouldn't want to do the other's jobs because we're not cut out for them but it looks like that is the case now. What's that saying, "The only constant is change itself".

Oh, look at the time... it's beer:thirty!!

Have a great weekend!!

That's my brudder

All together now, "Awww...."

It's pretty sad when date night is so rare an event that it's worthy of a blog... welcome to my world. :) Fortunately, we were able to bribe the sitter enough that she spent a few hours with the boys while Jeannie and I had some time to ourselves. Jeannie's criteria for a suitable restaurant is, 'They have to have good Margaritas" so Baby A's it was. Throw in a band and non-100 degree weather, it made for a good evening on the patio...

BTW, she hates these 'arm length' pics but they are some my favorites. Love you, Sweetheart.

Furry creatures

Speaking of Wally-Martinez, guess what else you can now purchase there...




Ok, not really. Although, Ivy, The Terror Cat, does like to be chauffered around the house in the boy's pretend grocery basket... and probably enjoys having photos taken of her in compromising situations...

She's, by far, the most photographed member of Casa de Guajardo. Trooper has his moments too, though. This was Trooper at the boy's 4th birthday party. Who said he's too old to party with a bunch of crazy kids?

Party on, dude!!