Now, first thing's first: I am NOT a liar. As a matter of fact, I sometimes impress (and shock) myself with how honest I can be.
But, I have a flair for the dramatic. I'd like to think I am a natural story teller, and that this vice I have really just amplifies my abilities. I feel that "exaggeration is the spice of life."
I am an exaggerator. In my world, this spider
becomes this spider:
and this mess
becomes this mess:
And my battered and bruised (but generally okay) heart (ego):
becomes something ripped from my chest, thrown on the floor and stomped on until it's a bloody pulp:
This is probably not the WORST little tidbit about myself I could offer. Rarely does my exaggeration hurt anyone, and like I said, it's not lying...not exactly.
And really, though my exaggerated descriptions of heated arguments, and people who I despise can leave me seething even though they're not worth the trouble, my vice has it's good points too.
this humor:
becomes THIS humor:
This much love:
becomes this much love:
And that, my friends, is that.
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Lilly's "Fairy Princess" hairdoo and cute new dress/jacket on Sunday
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I Am Happy
Children's CD Giveaway!
I ALWAYS love music, and it's a privilege to get to review any of it on my blog. This time, I have the pleasure of presenting "I Am Happy" by Sukey Molloy.
I get to announce, now, that both my children and I thoroughly enjoyed this CD. All the songs were upbeat, funny, and/or encouraged activity, such as the first song on the CD "I Put My Scarf On My Head", which tells you to put your scarf on various parts of your body. All the songs encourage imagination as well, and for the whole length of the CD (40 minutes), my children ran around the room, dancing to this lovely music!
I also think that this CD would be a great addition to ANY preschool teacher or homeschooler's collection.
Recommended for children ages 2-5, I think it goes beyond that, and even older kids will enjoy it!!!
Please enter the Rafflecopter below to enter to win!!! Good luck!!!
Okay- I had requests for main courses, and "easy, fast" main courses. This is a problem for me, because if I'm making an easy or fast or....well, ANY main course, the recipe would be "Take tortilla, grate cheese, fold in half, heat for 30 sec. in microwave." Or "Put prepackaged ham and prepackaged rolls on pans, heat in oven and cook microwave birdseye veggies in microwave." THAT is how we roll around here...so I just don't HAVE any easy \, fast main course recipes. BUT, for the love of all my readers, I will work on finding some, and get back to you in Foodie Fridays to come!
I DID also get a request for an appetizer.
Cheesy Christmas Trees
Now, this IS a "Christmas" recipe...but ONLY because it's from a Christmas recipe book. You don't have to make your toasts in the shape of trees. Instead, you could do any shape you can find a cookie cutter for, or, like my sister in law used to do when she lived with me, just make it on regular baguette bread, sliced, as a midnight snack while we watched movies late on the weekends. So, don't be fooled by the title!
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise (The REAL kind. NO MIRACLE WHIP! EW!!!)
1 tbsp dry ranch style salad dressing mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
12 slices firm white bread (This also works on sourdough, baguette, rye, and the best of all: PUMPERNICKEL - though, pumpernickel isn't terribly firm, just slice it thin)
1/4 cup red bell pepper strips (or diced)
1/4 cup green bell pepper strips (we usually use orange bell peppers instead. Or yellow. They are both TONS more delicious than green ones- which are only used in this recipe because of the festive color.)
1. Preheat broiler (We used our toaster oven.) Combine mayonnaise and salad dressing mix in medium bowl. Add cheeses; mix well
2. Cut bread into slices (or shapes if you're doing that.) Spread each slice with about 1 tablespoon mayo mixture. Adorn with bell peppers and place on baking sheet.
3. Broil 4 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbling, serve warm.
DELICIOUS!!!!
Don't forget to link up below!!!!
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10. Run A Marathon.
Uuuuuuugh. This sounds like a lot of pain. I'm disinterested.
9. Parachute.
Have you SEEN how high up they go? I mean, people who do that have a death wish.
8. Hold A Tarantula.
There's this pet store near my house called "Rockstar Pets" and it's a really cool store- they have several of their own pets that kind of run around like they own the place. They have a giant tortoise that just moseys his way around the store, a couple of dogs, a cat, and probably more. They even have those awesome rabbits the size of dogs that you can put a harness on and go for a walk with. They also have spiders. Tarantulas to be exact. They even have the BIGGEST species of spider- a Bird Tarantula...because it EATS BIRDS!!!! I mean WTF?!!! I told my kids that if they EVER brought home a spider for a pet, I'd fry it live and make them eat it.
7. Go To Japan, China, Or Any Other "Asian" Country.
Unlike what seems like the REST of the world, I'm not interested in exploring the country, learning about the culture, or becoming a martial artist.
6. Loose My Teeth.
I'm so scared of my teeth falling out in my old age. I don't care if I'm 99 years old and dirt poor. I will sell my children in order to get an implant before I'll wear dentures. (Don't call CPS. You all know me well enough to know that's an exaggeration. My husband, though....and the dog.....)
5. Have Triplets.
They always say that if you have multiples, you should have them first (because you won't know what you're getting yourself into, so you won't know anything different, and it'll be simpler that way.) or last (so that you have other people to help.
As a mom of 4, and a PRO at the "infant" stage, I can honestly say I think I could handle two babies at once with two hands tied behind my back. Sounds like fun! But I do NOT want 3 at a time. (It goes without saying that I don't want 4, 5, or so on either.)
4. Give Birth Naturally.
I heart my epidurals.
3. Die.
Yeah. I wanna live forever.
2. Run Into My Ex Boyfriend.
Nearly 10 years and 4 kids later, I'm still a hundred times more adorable than his new wife (who I saw because a mutual friend was tagged in one of his wedding pictures) and I wouldn't want to make him wish he wasn't an ass back in the day.
1. See ANY Of The StarWars Movies In 3D On The Big Screen.
We're going to Disneyland in 9 weeks over Lilly's birthday. My kids don't know. We're not going to tell them about it either, until we pile them in the car and drive PAST the school. I am so excited about this, I could pee my pants every single day. I even think that my elation exceeds that of my excitement to get married once I was engaged.
My husband feels this exact same way about Star Wars, Episode 1 being on the big screen in 3D. He doesn't want to go without me. I think he'll never make it. Because, while I'm willing to suffer through LOTS of "his choice" movies I could care less about, I'm not going to spend 7-10 bucks seeing a movie we already own that I don't even like, in 3D glasses that make me dizzy, just because it's in a theater.
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Don't forget to come on over tomorrow and link up your yummy recipes for Foodie Friday!!!
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Mahone and his Valentine Box (And Teague- who didn't HAVE a box, but was trying very hard to get hands on some of Mahone's spoils.)
Getting it all out!
Scarlet with the comic book, Super Friends of the 31st Century, that Brandon and I got her for Valentines day (she's making a really weird face...not sure what's up with that.)
Mahone with his Flash comic book
Lilly with her Bat Girl comic book
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Valentines Day, and Other Holidays- The Bitterness That Follows.
I LOVE VALENTINES DAY!!! And isn't that all it's about? LOVE??? LOVE!!!! On top of that, I love St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, the Fourth of July, and so on- and all the ones I missed. All t he little holidays, like President's day, when my kids have the day off of school. Heck, I even love end of term holidays that only have to do with school. I LOVE holidays in all their forms.
I feel like Holidays break up the monotony of every day life. Today is Valentine's day. And for weeks, I have helped my kids create beautiful boxes to collect their valentines in. I have helped them write names on cards, and seal envelopes, and stuff them full of candy! Today, I curled Scarlet's hair, and sent Lilly to school with a lovely updo- something I don't usually MAKE time for before I send her off for a day of recess and other hair-destroying events. After today, we will settle back into our daily routine, until we're able to attend, very festively, the St. Patrick's Day parade, and after that, Easter, where we will happily, and joyfully both revel in our Savior's sacrifice and resurrection AS WELL AS have thrilling and wonderful Pagan inspired Easter Egg Hunts with our kids. The holidays give us something to look forward to!
And over the past weeks, I have seen an increasing bitterness about today's specific holiday. And it's NOT been from single people.
Believe it or not, though, today's controversial discussion ISN'T about Valentines day. It's about ALL holidays. For the last few weeks, several bitter individuals have spouted cynical quotes (on facebook) about how we shouldn't NEED one day out of the year to tell the people we love that we love them. In a few months, the same people will start making bitter accusations about Mother's day, and how we shouldn't need a holiday to tell our mother's that we appreciate their efforts. Then will come Father's Day. And at the end of the year, they will both complain that Thanksgiving doesn't get it's fair attention and is overshaddowed by Christmas, as well as how we shouldn't NEED a specific day to be thankful- because we should be thankful EVERY day.
Along with all of this cynical, bitter complaining, there will be endless tirades about how overly commercialized it all is.
This really gets under my skin. EVERYONE KNOWS ALREADY that Christmas is over commercialized. And who the heck cares? If YOU don't want your Christmas to be commercialized, then don't buy your kid presents. Personally, I LOVE buying gifts. And I overdo it with my kids. But that doesn't mean that my holiday (whatever holiday it might be) is ONLY about gifts.
Issues I have with this:
1. It's really just plain STUPID and utterly IGNORANT to think that people ACTUALLY think that a holiday, such as Valentine's Day, or Mother's Day, Father's Day or Thanksgiving is the ONLY day people tell their "valentine" that they love them, or their mother or father, or that they are thankful for all the blessings they have. I can see that in some cases, this may be true, but the MAJORITY of the BILLIONS of people on this planet to NOT ONLY say "Mom, I love you" on Mother's day. I'm 100% sure that the MAJORITY of people are thankful on a regular basis for their blessings. And the truth is, AS HUMANS, YES, the "natural" state of man is to be selfish, and we forget easily once our worries are settled. A reminder is nice. Not to mention, these specific people who are regularly and continually pessimistic about these wonderful reasons for celebrations will complain complain complain about having to buy their wife or children gifts....but how would they ACTUALLY feel if on THEIR day (Fathers/Mothers day) their children didn't do anything...because they shouldn't need a reason to. In MY mind, this is a cop out- yeah, you don't NEED a reason to do it...but here you HAVE a reason to do it. It's not courteous to ignore it. What THAT says isn't that you feel you need to appreciate people every day- but that you don't appreciate them today.
2. Commercialism, like it or not, is GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY. Will it KILL you to buy a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates for the one you love for 15.00, because that's "normal", "traditional" and "expected"? Rebel because you have to prove you can't be controlled by the scum that is America, or make someone smile and boost the economy as well. Your choice.
3. As Batman's great nemesis says so often "Why so serious?"- Seriously, though- GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE. Celebrate! Because it's FUN. Because it makes life worth living! Because it makes those around you happier when YOU are happier, and because it's a battle you can't win. There are far more important things to rage against. Focus your bitterness on something you CAN change- that's WORTH changing.
Now, I'll go ahead and admit that my delight in the commercialism of EVERYTHING probably has a lot to do with my love language- gifts.
Those of you who don't know about love languages will probably think that sheds a terrible light on me- that I'm worldly, and shallow and just want STUFF. I'll say this flat out: YOU ARE WRONG. My love language isn't about STUFF. It's not about money. My husband will sometimes bring me a handful of creamers (half and half) from restaurants he goes to for lunch- I LOVE creamers. But I don't drink coffee, and I don't buy them. They're also incredibly fattening. It didn't cost him much - if anything, and it's not a "worldly" thing. But it shows that he loves me because he knows what I like, what I have talked about, what I have DONE. He pays attention. (BTW, for Valentines day this year, he got me a pair of TOMS!!! It's something I've wanted for a long time, but wouldn't EVER buy for myself- because I always put everyone else's needs first. AND a massage, which isn't JUST a luxury- I really NEED one. Deep tissue. I got him a "Lex Luthor for President" t-shirt. Because he loves Lex. And he has joked about writing him in. LOL. See? It's about noticing the little things.)
I buy my children things when I REALLY want to show them love. (Not that there is ANY lack of hugs and kisses and snuggles or verbal "I love you"'s, but, once again, because it's my love LANGUAGE.) I take great pride in knowing that so-and-so will love THIS thing. That pink is so-and-so's favorite color, and so-and-so has been talking about this book for AGES. It's about details. It's about paying attention.
So, I'm a bit biased. But gifts and all aside (no gifts on St. Patty's Day, the Fourth of July, or Thanksgiving)- I still love holidays!!!
SO QUIT BRINGING PEOPLE'S SPIRITS DOWN WITH YOUR BITTERNESS AND PESSIMISM! Enjoy a holiday, for crying out loud!
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Let us know. What do YOU think about holidays? Commercialism? Etc? PLEASE, tell us!
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(SCROLL DOWN TO LINK UP AND TO ENTER THE FLASH GIVEAWAY)
MUSIC MONDAY!!!
Link Up Below!
I usually only post one song, maybe two, for my Music Mondays
.
But, in honor of Valentines day, I'm doing something a little bit different.
It's no secret that music is a big part of my life- I think it is for most people. And I tend to attach songs and their meanings to my memories of people and events, both good and bad. It's easy for me to admit that music is the very embodiment of love to me. Love now, love then, and the opposite of it.
You shouldn't be surprised, then, to hear that I have a song for each of my kids. I didn't consciously pick these songs. I didn't sit down and pour over a list of them or anything. They just evolved. Any mom knows that there are many nights spent rocking a baby, kissing their fat, warm cheeks while you try to get them to sleep. Every mom knows that as your baby grows, you begin to see a personality, and you don't shape and mold it as much as you behold and enable it.
These are songs that I ended up singing to them the most, and eventually, I sang them every night. Until I had the epiphany that these songs BELONGED to my children, and to me.
What if I Loved You, by Joey Gian is my husbands and my wedding song. As he is my OFFICIAL Valentine, I had to include it. I sing it in the shower, in the car, and as often TO my KIDS as their own songs. I ab-so-LUTELY LOVE this song. It is on the top of my favorites list. SO romantic.
Lilly's Song: L.O.V.E. - I chose Michael Buble instead of the original singer, Nat King Cole. I love Nat, and I sort of feel like a cheater. But the truth is, I like Michael Buble more. ~Wince~
What can I say about Lilly? Sheesh, she's a little mini me. And she makes me feel good about everything because she dances around this place like it's a stage, literally SINGING to me "Mooooooommmy, you're the very beeeeeeeeest mommmy e-e-e-e-e-everrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!" - while my other three children are all about daddy- you know, when daddy's home, I'm chopped liver- Lilly is completely MINE. She loves that daddy of hers, but, when the others fight over who is going to hold his hand in the store, she's already linked arms with me.
I love my girl!
Mahone's Song: Fly Me To The Moon.
EVERYONE has done this song. Well, all the lounge singers. And ol' Blue eyes does it best. THE best!!! NEVER heard a better rendition....EXCEPT for MAYBE the one from the movie soundtrack "Down With Love" (OMG, FAVORITE MOVIE EVER!) where it's a mash up of Frank and some other girl doing a really retro version. VERY cool.
Mahone's over it now, but when he was very little, he was determined to be an astronaut. Everything was ALWAYS about the moon and Mars. It was darling. We also sang Nat King Cole's "It's Only A Paper Moon" to him a lot, but this is the one that stuck.
Mahone is so sensitive. He has so much energy, and so much crazy in him that daily, he makes me want to pull my hair out. I always thought that was the dumbest expression from mothers. Why in the world would ANYONE want to pull their hair out? Well, Mahone solved that mystery for me. LOL. But he is SUCH a little gentleman. I look at him, and I know he'll be a wonderful, compassionate, sweet, and sensitive man. And I would LIKE to take the credit, but I don't think I can. That boy has it built into his very genes. He is my hardest worker. He is a storyteller, and can tell a tall tale to fool ANYONE, but he has NEVER lied to me, not once. He has a smile and a giggle to light up the whole wide world- and he has come up with the best one liners that I have EVER heard from a kid. He has me cracking up daily!
Scarlet's Song: When It Comes To Love by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
I am in LOVE with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. FOR REAL. I was a total "Swing Kid" in high school, and spent many a weekend at the local dance club "The M.A.C" (Murray Arts Center) which, sadly, closed last year. The end of an era. Of course, when I sing it, since I'm a girl, I say "I'm just a small town girl with a handfull of dreams...."
Scarlet, oh how I love her. She's a typical 3rd child, I think. Right now, I spend a lot of time alone with her, because she is at home while the older two are at school, and Teague still sleeps a lot. What an ANGEL she is! She is quiet and sweet and polite...until the older two come home, and then she's hell on wheels. That girl, from the moment Lilly and Mahone walk in the door, she is picking on them like there's no tomorrow. She makes me laugh, she is responsible for every single one of my gray hairs, and she is independent, sassy, and such a REDHEAD!!!! So beautiful, so sweet.
Teague's Song: Beyond the Sea, and The Way I Am - I put up The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson a couple of weeks ago, so I'm putting up Beyond the Sea this time. Teague is still little and his song may change. I don't have a reason to be singing this song to him. I don't know why I started singing it, it just felt like a soft, but upbeat song late one night. But I'm leaning toward The Way I am more...something about the lyrics "sew on patches to all you tear" and "if you are chilly, here take my sweater"- such a lovely song for a mom to sing to her little boy.
Teague. What to say about him. Oh dear. He's the cutest thing this side of the universe. Already, this child is careful. He is gentle and specific. He loves trucks, and light sabers and pretending to sword fight with his brother. He loves our dog, Hunter- well, any dog at all really. And he sure loves his mommy. He is a happy thing, all the time, and always has a smile for me. My cuddly little man, just makes me think everyone should have one of him. He's the answer to world peace.
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February's Weekdaily Flash Giveaways
ANNOUNCEMENT: READ FIRST:
Okay, friends. It's time for a chat.
I have been doing giveaways for a grand total of about 3 months. At first, this was working really great for me! My numbers got up pretty high on my twitter, google+ and facebook accounts.
And then I noticed something. The number of visits I had to my blog PER DAY were going through the roof! Multiplying! BUT the people who were actually READING what I have to say was declining. I know, because the comments that were made on a daily basis have declined by about 75%! (And my numbers aren't growing much now, because most of the people who enter already follow me.)
So, since I do about 2-3 giveaways per week (and have been doing these daily flash giveaways for 2 weeks now.) I added "Leave a comment" as a way to earn an entry. For a day or two, this got my comments back up, but the majority simply stated "thanks for the giveaway!" - You know, you're all very welcome!!!!
The problem is, that's really hardly very genuine or thoughtful, though. I feel like I have much more provocative and wonderful stuff here on my blog than "thanks for the giveaway!" In truth, I feel a bit discouraged. Especially since, after a few days, the comments went BACK DOWN.
If you do giveaways on your blog, you know how long it takes, and how much work it is. If you don't do giveaways, trust me when I say that it takes a TON of time, sacrifice, and, when I do these sweater giveaways and these ring giveaways, MONEY- out of my own pocket.
So, since my Rafflecopter hasn't seemed to make it clear, I'm posting my own disclaimer: ALL ENTRIES ARE MANDATORY. Every one must be done, or the entrant is disqualified. That means comments, follows, and likes. (I WILL let such things as google+ or my linky friends follow pass here or there because I know not everyone has those accounts - BUT they are worth a lot more entries than others BECAUSE I know it's a pain to create an account.) PLEASE understand that I want these giveaways to work for everyone. You get your entries and your chances to win AWESOME products. And I need to be more than just a free for all blog that doesn't get looked at beyond what's free.
(Scroll down for Foodie Friday, AND the February Weekdaily Flash Giveaway!!!)
What I Want My Children To Remember About Their Childhood
I have always had a good memory. Most people can't remember when they were very young, but I do. I recall sounds, smells, and even exact conversation from the time I was very young. I don't usually need a calendar to remember important dates or times, and, without looking, I still know my babies birth dates, times, and their size and lengths.
My childhood was filled with summers spent catching snakes and throwing water balloons. Christmases, birthdays, baby brothers and sisters, giggling with friends, card games with my family, and lots of small details that made me who I am.
Now I am a mother, and, while my childhood is behind me, my children's childhoods are staring me in the face.
I'm sure every mother can identify with my emotions here. I am terrified that they will look back and remember every single moment that I yelled at them. I just KNOW they will remember the times I made them sit and eat the food they HATED (usually spinach lasagna.) or the times I didn't give them what they want. I am afraid that somewhere, I will, in the heat of the moment, say something I shouldn't and that, despite apologies, my comment will scar them for life and turn them into bank robbers instead of award winning concert pianists (I'm kidding on the concert pianist thing.) I am afraid that, when they are with their friends, they will have nothing good to say about me.
The truth is, I'm sure that in my past, my parents disciplined me plenty of times. I'm sure I received spankings, and no doubt they yelled at me and maybe said some regrettable things. I know, for sure, that my mother used to insist that I eat mushy green beans from a can (I still can't stand them), and, if my mother is as normal as any other mother out there today, she probably faced a lot of guilt for it, just like we do.
But do you know what? I don't remember those things with any kind of vividness, and I'm not screwed up.
When Lilly was born, my mom got me a baby book for her that is illustrated by Mary Englebreit (who I LOVE) - it is filled with darling pictures of babies, and families, and women in slippers with captions that read "Queen Of Everything." and "Life is just a chair of bowlies"
There is one picture, though, that captured my heart from the very moment I saw it. (And forgive me, I spent, literally, hours looking for a proper picture on the internet and could not find one...so you get a snapshot from my camera.)
I love this because, as this little boy is going off to school, all those hearts are floating out of his home while his mother kisses him goodbye.
Despite my fears, I'm pretty sure that my kids won't remember the times they were grounded from television, or had to put their nose on the corner for time outs. Over the years, they will remember laughing late at night while we all snuggled together on the couch watching movies. They will remember family vacations, and holidays. What I really hope they remember when they look back at their childhoods is a home so full of love that it hit them hard in the face whenever they opened the door after school. I hope they remember feeling safe and secure. I hope it's strong enough to follow them each day to school, and wrap them in a bubble on their way back home. I hope it's enough that, when they go off to college or get their own apartments, little hearts float out their doors and windows whenever they open them too.
THAT is what I want my children to remember about their childhoods.
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Foodie Friday!
Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
14 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
4-6 large strawberries, chopped
1 bag white chocolate chips
PREHEAT OVEN to 375
Chop Strawberries- the smaller the better.
Brown your butter. If you've never done this, don't be intimidated. It makes the cookies taste SO GOOD, and it's actually really easy.
The recipe calls for 14 tbsp of butter- take TEN (10) of those and put them in a pan over medium-high heat. You'll need to swirl the pan around constantly until it's totally melted.
Once melted, continue to swirl it around until it's a dark golden brown and smells rich and a bit nutty.
Pour the hot butter into a bowl, and add your remaining 4 tbsp. Swirl this around consistently until the 4 tbsp are melted fully.
Add white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add eggs and whisk them in until incorporated. Let stand for 3 minutes, whisk for 30 seconds, and repeat twice.
Your mixture will be smooth, thick and shiny.
Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix in flour and baking soda
Stir in all strawberries and all white chocolate chips. It looks like a lot, but your cookies will be cram packed with flavor!!
Make your cookie balls SMALL- about a table spoon in size, maybe a tiny bit bigger. These cookies like to flatten and spread out. If you make them too big, they will melt together. They're still yummy, of course, but not as "neat" looking.
Bake them at 375 for about 12-14 minutes, until edges are turning brown.
My kids LOVE these cookies- even more than regular chocolate chip cookies.
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