Mmmm Coookies

I was watching Studio5 last week and they made these cookies.  I thought they sounded/looked pretty good so I made them and they. were. scrumptious!  And they were super easy to make.  FYI you have to eat them warm that is what makes them so good so if you can't eat them right out of the oven, just zap them in the microwave for like 15 seconds.  They are the perfect cookie for the season!  Here is the recipe for your enjoyment:

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Ingredients:

•   1 c. softened butter 
• 1 c.granulated sugar
•  1/2 t.salt 
• 1 box (7.4 oz) Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink mix -not sugar free- all 10 packets (I found this in my grocery store near the hot chocolate mixes.)
•  2 eggs
•  1 t. vanilla extract 
• 1 t. baking soda 
• 1/2 t. baking powder
•  1 t. ground cinnamon 
• 3 c. all purpose flour
•  1 bag Kraft Caramels (14 oz)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment. (You really need the parchment!)
• In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
• With your mixer (or an energetic spoon) cream together butter, sugar, salt and all 10 packages of apple cider drink mix powder, until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well.
• Gradually add flour mixture to butter/egg mixture. Mix until just combined.
• Refrigerate for about an hour. (If you're really impatient you don't have to do this, but it makes it so much easier to work with.)
• When you are ready to bake, unwrap your caramels.
• Scoop out cookie dough ball about the size of a walnut. (I used a rounded cookie scoop-full. My scoop holds about a Tablespoon.)
• Flatten the ball of dough slightly in the palm of your hand. Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets 2 inches apart.
• Bake 12-14 minutes, or until very lightly browned around the edges. Please don't over- bake! Once the cookies are done, slide the parchment off of the baking sheet right out onto the counter. Allow cookies to partially cool on the parchment. When cookies are cool enough to be firm but still slightly warm, carefully twist off of parchment and allow to finish cooling upside down (either on the parchment or on a rack.) If you forget about them and they cool too much and stick to your parchment, put them into the freezer for a few minutes and they'll pop right off.
• Yield: about 4 dozen, depending on how large you make your cookies (or how many caramels have been snitched out of your bag before you begin.) Store in an airtight container.

Family Pictures 2011

Last week we had some family pictures taken.  This is the first time doing family pictures as an actual family not a couple.  Our friend, Sarah took them.  She did such a great job!  We love how they turned out!

Getting So Close

Carson and I are in our second to last semester.  We both graduate in April and it can't get here soon enough!  It is becoming more real lately as I realize I only have a month left of school this semester(I started the semester at the beginning of August and am done just before Thanksgiving with the exception of one more week of clinicals after Thanksgiving).  I. SO. NEED. A. BREAK.  I can't wait to just enjoy all of December staying home with James!

Carson will finish out the semester at the usual time mid Dec. so he has a little bit longer than me but he's still plugging and doing great!

There are things happening in our lives lately that make graduation more of a reality for both of us.

 I will be taking my Limited test next Wednesday that will allow me to get a license to work part time.  I have a lot of options even with this limited certification.  I can pick up shifts at the hospital, some of the clinics around, insta-cares, or if I wanted even get a set part-time job.  So I can do that as I am going to school.  I'm not sure how much of that I will do since I am already very busy with school and working at Target one night a week.

Carson has been starting interviews with businesses around here.  All the prospects look great!  He most likely will be hired soon and work part-time while finishing up school and then be hired on full-time.  We will keep you updated with that!

It's crazy to think that when we are finished up with this semester WE ONLY HAVE ONE SEMESTER LEFT!!  Then we can move on with our lives- get a home of our own and be in the careers we have been working so hard for!

Also, not on the subject but wanted to update since we use this as sort of a journal:
We had James' 6 month checkup today and here are his stats:
He is 17 lb (38.62%)
He is 27 in. long (68.59%)

look at this stud!

big enough to sit up on his own in the shopping cart

6 Months Old!

Yes, James is half a year old today!

I can't believe he's that old already!  It's probably because Carson and I have been busy with school, work and raising James but it really has gone by fast.

This is what James has been up to lately:

• He has mastered rolling from back to tummy and now tummy to back as well
• He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks (he can kind of scoot around doing this but hasn't actually crawled yet)
• Can put his binky in his mouth himself (though it's not always in the right way)
• Loves to go on walks or anything to do with being outside
• Loves being on his tummy.  He even sleeps on his tummy, we put him on his back and he rolls right over to his tummy.
• He is eating cereal, veggies, meat, and fruit.  He seems to like all but peas, green beans, and chicken.
• Is ticklish especially under his rib cage and his thighs
• Can sit up on his own but is a little wobbly so definitely has to be closely attended
• Loves bath time now.  He plays with bath toys and loves to splash!
• He is definitely like his daddy...he loves technology.  He's always interested in our phones and computers.
• He loves to watch football with daddy 
• He also loves X-Men (Carson's favorite comic).  They just finished the cartoon series on Netflix :)
• He is very interested in everything we are doing especially when we're eating!
• He loves to bounce/jump
• He is starting to exercise his vocal cords more.  He loves to talk and even scream in delight.

I was leaving for work....so hard to leave this

He is such a good baby.  He's easy going and very happy.  He brings so much joy to our lives and as crazy busy as we are, we wouldn't change a thing!  

Conference Weekend

We had a busy weekend but it was packed with lots of fun!

I had early morning ICU rotation last week in clinicals starting at 5am and my week actually started on Sunday (Sept. 25).  I usually do every Saturday but since my rotation that week had Sunday as my weekend I was finished by Wednesday and had the whole conference weekend to spend with my family!  It was so nice being able to spend a Saturday with Carson and James.

Saturday morning Carson and I enjoyed breakfast at Kneaders....french toast....yum!  Then we made it home just in time for conference.  It was so nice being able to catch all of conference this time.  For the past 4 years I have either worked or had clinicals on one or both of the days.  Though I still had my distractions...having a baby makes it hard to concentrate and not get pulled away.

After the first session we hopped in the car and made our way up to Cottonwood Heights area where Carson's family lives.  We had to stop by Fashion Place mall first to go to the Apple store to see what they could do about my phone....yes, I dropped it (not the first time) and the screen shattered.  We did not expect that they would replace it.  Even though we have Apple Care, it does not cover screens.  But to our surprise we got it replaced for FREE!  So I have a brand new iPhone with a nice, clear screen (I was having trouble playing "hanging with friends"...my I's looked like T's etc...major problem)!

Later that evening the boys attended Priesthood session (with the exception of James and my 2 year old nephew, Will).  And the women stayed home to do our traditional "craft night".  This time we made wreaths to go on the front door.  They are super cute!  They are reversible so on the other side of mine it is painted purple and says, "Welcome" to display year round and the ribbon will be changed out.  Fun Idea!  The boys came back and we had a yummy meal.  By the time we were finished with everything it was 10pm WAY past James' bed time so we hustled home to put him to bed.

it turned out really cute!

Sunday morning it was nice to sleep in and we watched the morning session together then in between sessions, went up to the Cullimore's again for their traditional "omelettes on conference Sunday".  We watched the last session of conference there and then went down to my parents in Orem for dinner with the whole family.  We also had an intense game or two of steal the flag (a favorite) after dinner.  By 8pm we were pooped from the fun-filled weekend so we came home early, bathed James, and put him to bed ON TIME (poor little guy).

watching conference Sunday evening

We had a very enjoyable weekend.  I love being able to spend time with my family and to be able to hear the words of our Prophet and other church leaders.  I can not wait for the Ensign to come out next month so I can read them over again.  I am thrilled they are restoring the Provo Tabernacle as a temple!  So didn't see that one coming.  What a wonderful blessing to come out of something so terrible.

Just a Little Update

Well, Carson and I have started up school again (last year for both of us, yay!).  This is a first for us with both of us going to school and having a baby.  I was a tad nervous about it but it has actually worked out pretty well.

We are so grateful for the help of loving family and friends!  Everyone is so willing...but how could you not be with this kid?  :)

Most of the time for classes for the two of us, it has worked out perfectly where one of us can be home with James.  It's great!  Our schedules couldn't have worked out more perfectly together.  It's a little challenging finding time to do homework and studying for tests.  Most of the time I can get a lot of it done while at clinicals so that's nice.

James is growing so fast and is busy doing lots of new things!

He is standing on his own!

 Haha not really, he was kind of leaning on my legs but he looks like a little boy!

Now this is all on his own

He is also now getting on his hands and knees and is rocking!....I guess this means he'll be crawling soon, ah!

We are enjoying life!  I LOVE this weather right now...love Fall (not looking forward to Winter but I guess it has to come).

July

 K, this post is a little out of order but I wrote it and then had to compile my pictures so better late than never!  We had A LOT to update on from July:

Wow July was VERY eventful!

I finished up my jam packed, 7 week, super stressful summer semester at the end of June and was given a Summer vacation (only to start back up with clinicals Aug. 1).

For only having a month of true Summer, boy did we make it a GREAT one!

We went to the annual Oakley Rodeo to celebrate the 4th of July with Carson's family.

We attended the Cook Family Reunion on the 2nd with our usual hit, the huge slip n' slide.

We blessed James and since we had 8:30 church (yes 8:30 IN THE MORNING), we had a yummy breakfast afterward in our backyard with close family.

Our oldest nephew, Zach, got baptized! Way to go Zach!...I'm a horrible aunt and didn't bring my camera, so no pic :(

We said Goodbye to some good friends:

Jeff and Holli Chambers. They will be moving to Missouri where Jeff will attend Med. school. and our other good friends, Josh and Amy (and Ally) Johnson. They moved to Pennsylvania where Josh will attend Physical Therapy school. We are very sad to see these good friends go but are super excited for their new adventures! (sorry, Jeff and Holli.  We couldn't find a pic where we were all together :(

 our friends Amy and Josh (old pic)

AND....

We went on a family vacation with Carson's family to Oceanside, California! Carson's grandparents have a condo on the beach. It was SO much fun! It was James' first time seeing the ocean!

Whew! What an exciting month!