A Favorite Cookie Recipe of Mine

I posted on Facebook today a picture of all of the bread I made and a batch of cookies.  The bread recipe is already on this blog- here's the link to the page because it was written a long time ago: Bread recipe.  I wrote it for 2 loaves, but it is easily doubled.  I always make 4 at a time.

The cookies are a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I've perfected to my tastes, and I must say they are perfect!  (for my family anyway)
Here Goes:
Tara's chocolate chip cookies
1/2 C butter
1/2 C shortening ( plain or butter flavored is fine) ( this helps them not flatten out so much)
3/4 C brown sugar
3/4 C white sugar
2 large eggs
1 t vanilla
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
2 C whole wheat flour
1 C white flour
1 bag chocolate chips

Cream butter, shortening, and sugars.  About 3 minutes, or until it is really creamy and lighter in color.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix in.  Add the rest of the dry ingredients (flours, salt, baking soda) and mix well.  Add chocolate chips last.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.

If you want an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, do the same recipe until the flour, and instead add: 1 C whole wheat flour, 1 3/4 cup white flour and 1 1/2 cup quick oats.

• Here's the Key: I love my cookies thicker, and soft in the middle so I add the shortening to help the cookie stay more round and I have more flour than other chocolate chip cookie recipes.  
• Another thing- put your cookies on the cookie sheet in a round ball and don't flatten it out.  
• Make sure you take them out at 8 minutes or as soon as you start seeing the first tiny bit of golden brown color on them.  Not all over it, but just on the highest tip of the cookie or whatever.  They wont look done, but when you take them out they will continue cooking on the sheet for a bit, so they will be perfect.  
• Transfer to wire racks after they've sat about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet.

Oklahoma, OK

I'm pretty sure I've aged 20 years in my 7 years of being here.  5 of those years were within the last week.  All of these tornadoes have gotten uncomfortably close, and I don't think I can make it another year here.  Just when I'm starting to get comfortable and think that I could stay forever, a tornado, or hail, or an earthquake, or excessive 100+ degree heat comes to bring me back to reality.  I do like Oklahoma though.  I will be really sad to leave it, and our wonderful friends and ward here.  People in Oklahoma are genuine.  They are kind, thoughtful, resilient, strong, and not weak.  I think all of the crazy stuff that happens here has brought people together.  They love God, and they aren't afraid to talk about Him, and praise Him.  They realize all of the blessings He has given them- even in times of tragedy.  That's something I don't remember noticing in Oregon.  I LOVE Oregon, but I don't remember Oregonians being so willing to talk about God, or religion there.  (Correct me if I remember wrong, my Oregonian friends.)  These are things I want to remember about my friends here- and the people here.  Living here is not for the faint of heart.  It has strengthened me, and grounded me.  Reminded me of what is most important- people, not things. 

 During this last tornado that came about 2 miles from our house, (it was actually heading straight for us until it made a sudden turn south) we had our most important things with us in our neighbors storm shelter- our family.  I even thought, "this tornado could take our house completely out, and I'd be ok.  I would be sad, but it would all be ok".  Which is true.  I think that's crazy that I could think that way, but you know, it's just me realizing that as long as my husband and children are ok, we can rebuild together.  Family is what matters, not stuff.  

I still feel so sad and heartbroken for all of the people who lost their homes, and especially family members.  I'm so sorry for them.  I still pray for them, and will look for ways to serve them.  We went down to our friend's cabin last weekend and drove through Moore.  It was as bad as it looks on tv.  Here are some pictures of our drive through.

 Here are some pictures of us on Friday night as we hunkered down with our good neighbor, Grandpa Curtis, in his shelter:

I just think Mya's face is hilarious in this picture.

Randy Emma and Mya were watching the shelter door and listening to the huge hail pound it.

The rest of the pictures are of us at the cabin/lake by the cabin.  It was so wonderful to get away for the weekend and bond as a family.  We needed to just relax and enjoy each other, and that's just what we did.

These pictures are not in order, but the temperature was so nice the first day ( a little chilly at first when you got in the water, but really nice after you were in for a couple of minutes- perfect for those on the beach).  The second day was very windy and the girls didn't last near as long in the water as they did on the first.  What was terrible, was that they asked me to jump in that chilly water and swim with them- so I did.  And as soon as I got in they were done.  So there I was, wet and cold right along with them.  It wouldn't have been so bad if the wind would have just quit.  But hey- it's Oklahoma!  It's windy here!  So, Mya spent the second day wrapped in a towel most of the time.  

 Kenadi swam for a bit, and then wrapped in a towel too.  =)

On the first day Kenadi and Emma and some friends of theirs ( family friends came down the first day of swimming to hang out on the beach with us, that was nice) made some little sand castles.  This one is a sand snowman.

 This is me and my friend Jashel and one of her little boys.  Enjoying relaxing on the beach.

 Our friends with the cabin let us use their fun little electric car to go back and forth from the beach with.  It was cute and the girls LOVED it.  

Randy and Emma ate most of the Doritos.  Emma takes after her daddy with her love of chips.  I think she'd rather have chips then a sugary treat.

 Mya has no fear of the water.  Which makes me a little fearful for her.  She would have swam out to the middle of the lake if we'd have let her.  Kenadi and Mya are similar that way.  Little fish.

 Emma's more comfortable on land.  

I love Mya's little tongue sticking out here.  She does that a lot when she's thinking.

On to a different topic- Kenadi lost her first top tooth finally.  It hung there for 3 weeks while she wouldn't let me pull it out.  That makes 3 teeth she's lost I think.  Maybe 4?