Cookie Baking Night 10/27/14

Tonight was Cookie Baking Night. In attendance this evening: Carissa and Alli. And they couldn't have been happier. These two girls love each other and very much enjoyed having Cookie Baking Night all to themselves. 

As is our Autumn tradition here at Cookie Baking Nights, tonight we made Aunt Katrina's Pumpkin Patch Brownies.

First, we made the brownies. 

Then we frosted the brownies. 

Next, we covered the brownies in candy pumpkins and used green frosting to create "vines" around them. 

Thus, arriving at "Pumpkin Patch Brownies". 

Since Halloween is right around the corner, the girls also helped me put together "Halloween Packs" to hand out to the trick or treaters. 

Each "pack" contained a candy bar and a gospel tract. Pictured above, Carissa is reading the gospel tract, not wanting to give something away that she hasn't read herself (a girl after my own heart). 

After the "packs" were assembled, they were decorated with autumn-themed stickers. 

Now we're all set. Bring on the trick or treaters. 

Oh yeah ... and ... as usual, a fun time was had by all!

Cookie Baking Musings 10/06/14

As I mentioned in last week's post about Cookie Baking Night, Emily had a mechanical baby doll from her Family And Consumer Sciences (FACS) class with her. She named him Braxton. (Braxton Kylie Julio Ricardo Montoya Delarosa Remierez Oseid Kidd to be exact). The baby had to be cared for every time it fussed or cried (which was often), and it was Emily's job to figure out what he needed. She wore a bracelet that registered her efforts and would be turned in the next day for a grade based on how attentive she was to the baby's needs. 

She missed about 15 minutes while we were making carameled apples because she was in the living room "feeding" (with a mechanical baby bottle) Braxton. When he had settled down and was once again content, she came charging into the kitchen with the baby carrier in hand. As she did so, she dropped her phone. 

She frantically looked around and said "What was that?" 

I said, "It's your phone." 

She said, "Oh good. I thought it was the baby." 

I said, "I remember when your phone was your baby." (like 8 hours ago)

She said, "Oh, those were simpler times. Simpler times."